Tight competition for Greens candidates hoping to secure three federal seats

Greens candidates in the Queensland electoral seats of Brisbane and Ryan await the final count of postal votes, as new Greens member for Griffith, Max Chandler-Mather secures a monumental win.

Leader of the Greens, Adam Bandt, has called the weekend’s federal election a ‘greenslide’ as it appeared the minor party would pick up three seats in federal parliament.

But the race for the seat of Brisbane is tightening, as LNP member Trevor Evans leads with a majority of primary votes.

Only 158 votes currently separate Labor’s Madonna Jarrett and Greens candidate Stephen Bates from winning the Brisbane electorate, which includes the city’s CBD and inner suburbs.

“We still have our noses in front and we’re watching the votes very closely,” Bandt said.

Professor Paul Williams from Griffith University said a majority of postal voters will typically support major parties, with the final result unlikely to be known for days.

“A third of the vote to go and postals do favour the major parties,” he said.

Greens candidate Elizabeth Watson-Brown said she’s confident she will secure a win for the seat of Ryan, after the AEC website mistakenly showed only postal vote results this morning.

“We’re at 53.8 per cent at the moment,” Watson-Brown said.

The surge in Greens votes across Brisbane is likely owing to effective local campaigning on issues like climate change, following the city’s period of intensive floods.

Campaigns against a contested new flight path to Brisbane airport over suburban areas is also predicted to have had a heavy influence on voters.

The Greens have promised to push for a nighttime curfew on flights at Brisbane airport, should they be elected.

In the seat of Griffith, Max Chandler-Mather is still celebrating a win over Labor member Terri Butler.

“This city can grow and thrive, without meaning that some of the most densely populated areas in Brisbane are woken up at 2am at night with flights screeching over the places,” Chandler-Mather said.

The party have also promised to work with the new Labor government on addressing climate change.

“The Greens are the most powerful third party in the next parliament,” Bandt said.

“We’ll be the balance of power in the Senate.”