Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says Prime Minister Tony Abbott's failure to engage with Queenslanders during the election campaign was a factor.
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| Bill Shorten. |
Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has been quick to congratulate Queensland Labor for its shock showing in Queensland, and says it serves as a warning for Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
"While the final outcome is still not known, tonight's remarkable results happened against all odds," he said in a statement.
"This was truly a David and Goliath battle - and Annastacia Palaszczuk has brought Goliath to his knees."
Mr Shorten said the state Labor party - with just nine MPs - was up against an LNP with nearly "80 more seats in parliament" and "a war chest of funding for advertising".
He said the failure of Prime Minister Tony Abbott to make an appearance in Queensland during the campaign had backfired on the Newman government.
"While Campbell Newman tried to hide Tony Abbott, the prime minister was front and centre every day of this campaign," he said.
"Tony Abbott and his ministers refused to talk to Queenslanders - and the Liberal National Party has paid the price tonight."
Mr Shorten spent 11 days on the Queensland campaign trail.
Meanwhile, former Labor prime ministers Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd have tweeted their congratulations to Ms Palaszczuk.
"Congratulations to Annastacia and the Labor team on a hard fought, courageous campaign. You can rightly be proud of your efforts. JG," Ms Gillard said.
While Mr Rudd tweeted: "Annastacia Palaszczuk, against all the odds, and despite all the detractors over the last three years, has delivered a stunning result in Qld".
Premier Newman lost his own seat of Ashgrove and declared his political career over.
