July 14, 2021
by Anne Miller
Two pro-mining candidates look set to slug it out in the seat of Flynn at the next Federal Election.
The LNP has selected a State MP who once crossed the floor to vote against his party on a mining issue, while the ALP has selected a Mayor who once flew to India on a controversial trade mission with other local government representatives.
Flynn is one of the three Federal seats which criss-cross the South Burnett.
The LNP’s Colin Boyce was elected to represent the safe seat of Callide at the 2017 State Election – replacing former Opposition Leader Jeff Seeney when he retired from politics.
Mr Boyce was re-elected at the 2020 State poll with a 23.8 per cent swing on first preferences.
Later in 2020, he crossed the floor in State Parliament to vote with Pauline Hanson’s One Nation and Katter’s Australian Party against a Labor Party Bill to appoint a special commissioner to oversee mine rehabilitation, describing it as “eco-Marxist ideology” to the ABC.
The Bill had been supported by the LNP.
Mr Boyce’s pre-selection for Flynn – a seat which stretches from Gladstone to Wondai and encompasses many mining areas – will now spark a State by-election for Callide.
No date for this by-election has been set.
Before entering politics, Mr Boyce was a grazier and businessman.
He has lived in the Taroom District most of his life. He is a former Taroom Shire councillor and his wife, Terri, is a current Banana Shire councillor.
- Related article: Callide MP Crosses Floor
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Gladstone Mayor Matt Burnett has been pre-selected by Labor to run in Flynn at the next Federal poll.
Mr Burnett was elected to Gladstone Regional Council in 2000 and has served as Mayor since 2016.
The former journalist and small businessman started The Port Curtis Post, which covered Gladstone, Boyne Island, Miriam Vale and Calliope.
In March 2017, Mayor Burnett was part of a trade mission to India which later led to the resignation of Rockhampton Mayor Margaret Strelow.
The Office of the Independent Assessor found the trade delegates enjoyed hospitality from Adani – including flights, transport and dinner – during the Indian visit.
The OIA made an adverse finding against Cr Strehlow as she allegedly failed to update her register of interests with details about the hospitality.
Mayor Burnett did fill in the necessary paperwork correctly and was not subject to OIA criticism.
He is vice-president of the Australian Local Government Association and a Director of the Local Government Association of Queensland.
The ALP has identified saving Local Government services as key issues in the North and South Burnett parts of the Flynn electorate.
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The new faces battling for Flynn follow the announcement by sitting LNP MP Ken O’Dowd earlier this year that he would not be re-contesting the seat.
Mr O’Dowd was elected to Federal Parliament at the 2010 election, re-elected with a small swing in 2013 and narrowly re-elected in 2016.
He was successful with a much larger swing in 2019 on a two-party preferred basis after his ALP opponent, Zac Beers – now Labor’s Assistant State Secretary – was punished by pro-coal voters.
Mr O’Dowd was one of Opposition Leader Barnaby Joyce’s key supporters at the recent spill vote which elevated Mr Joyce back into the Nationals’ top role.
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Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party is also expected to contest Flynn but no candidate has been announced as yet.
At the 2019 Federal poll, One Nation candidate Sharon Lohse attracted strong support, backing a push for the construction of a coal-fired power station in Central Queensland.
