HOST: We’ll soon have a new government with the LNP on track for victory at today's state election.
So what could this mean for next year's federal election? Minister for Aged Care and Sport and federal member for Lilley, Anika Wells, joins us live now from Brisbane. Good morning to you, Minister. It's not looking good for Labor today. If you believe the polls, do you feel the winds of change are blowing?
WELLS: I think Labor's in a lot better position today than many pundits predicted that we would be. And it doesn't feel like a change election, to be honest. I was at Boondall at 8 a.m. when polls opened. There was about 20 people there. You know, I have been at change elections when the queues go for a kilometre down the footpath. It doesn't feel like what Wayne Goss famously called baseball bat elections for us. And I think that's because Steven Miles has had a really good campaign. And the more that people see of him - he's been Premier for only ten months now - the more they like him and he's had a crack and he's put in place some policies that he's been thinking about for 20 years. Whereas David Crisafulli - the more people see him, the less they trust him. He's been running a small target campaign. He's been walking both sides of the street on some really key issues for us in the Queensland election, being abortion, being Olympic and Paralympic venues and so the LNP have not had the campaign that they're expecting, particularly when David Crisafulli famously said he was going to win and win big today.
HOST: So let's talk about walking the streets because the PM didn't spend a whole lot of time campaigning with Steven Miles. Was he in Queensland enough?
WELLS: Absolutely he was - I think when I last saw him, he was doing light rail with Steven Miles which, knowing the PM as I do, he is very, very proud of Gold Coast light Rail. It was something that he started as Infrastructure Minister about ten years ago and has seen through with the Labor Governments up here today. And he was here doing housing with our Housing Minister, Meaghan Scanlon who's a very promising, hard-working minister here. And I really hope that she hangs on and Gaven today.
HOST: Was the Prime Minister nervous at all, do you think, to associate himself with a campaign that did look and is still looking like it will lose?
WELLS: Absolutely not. We have been focusing on things that matter to Queenslanders, both federally and at a state level: housing, cost of living, infrastructure projects. And the PM is a famous lover and supporter of all of those things and he gets along really well with Steven Miles on that front. And contrast that with how little you have seen of Peter Dutton here in his home state. You know, if Peter Dutton is such a weapon for the LNP in Queensland, being a Queenslander, where is he? We haven't seen much of him. And I think the last time I saw him stand alongside David Crisafulli, they disagreed with each other about nuclear.
HOST: Okay, so we've seen obviously Canberra was a retain for Labor, albeit in minority government. Things weren't like that in the Northern Territory. If the LNP does turn blue today, what impact will that have on things federally, do you think?
WELLS: Well, if that's the case, I think we'll need to think about how we work with a new state government. I know that as the sport minister and as vice president of the Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee, first and foremost in my mind is this 100 day review that the LNP have said they'll do on Olympic and Paralympic venues. Queenslanders have made very clear that they are sick of the back and forth on those venues. So I guess we'll want to hear a lot more detail about what their plans are to make sure that we have the greatest games ever here in Brisbane, but I am prepared to work with anyone who's prepared to put their shoulder to the wheel to make sure that we do get the greatest games ever here in Brisbane 2032.
HOST: Good to see you, Anika. Thanks so much for your time on Weekend Today.