For: Mr Katter should secure much of the rural vote, with most reluctant to forgive Labor on its past debilitating policies for the cattle industry. 

The attention garnered from the ‘Last Stand’ rural debt crisis summit in Winton will also keep Katter popular among graziers.  

His opposition to asset sales and ability to block the LNP’s sell-off if holding the balance of power, should also see his seat kept safe. 

The Mount Isa seat, like the federal seat of Kennedy, is ‘‘Katter Country’’. 

With many voters unhappy with the major parties and as a whole disengaged from politics, they will likely see the Katter name and simply pin their faith on another three years of his leadership.

Against: Who will voters give most credit to for Mount Isa Mines keeping the copper smelter open until 2020? 

Katter played an integral role in kick-starting the discussions but the LNP were there to tick off the decision. 

Will he lose some of the rural vote with a strong LNP candidate renowned as a man of the rural people?

There’s been chatter of Mr Katter’s inability to get the job done without an alignment to any of the major parties and this election will  show if voters feel they have been getting a raw deal with representation from a minor party.

For: Should be popular with those in the public sector as a police officer who has knowledge of what is needed for the police force, education and health.  

Labor appears to have a stronger plan for regional communities and that could pull in some voters still angered with the paltry Royalties for Regions funding that’s funnelled back to the North West. 

Voters unhappy with the lack of funding streaming back to the region, but want representation from a major party are likely to fall back to Labor instead of the LNP, especially given Mount Isa’s history as a staunch Labor seat.

Against: Will struggle to defend unpopular policies around uranium mining in the North West – an industry many have pinned their hopes on for the future of the resources sector in the region. 

Labor’s 100 per cent FIFO ban will be contentious and divide many voters, but will be popular with long-time locals sick of the negative impact FIFO has on the economy.

The snap election has robbed him of time to get his name up in lights, especially in such a large electorate. 

And of course, there’s the unpopularity of Labor among rural voters because of the live export ban and the trail of debt it left in the state.

For: Will voters succumb to the power of the LNP and concede that ‘‘if you can’t beat them join them’’? 

Decades of experience in local government will give voters confidence that councils across the region will receive their fair share of funding. 

He is confident his main focus of securing roads funding will get through if elected, which will help secure future jobs for councils. 

A focus on local tradies winning tenders for contracts will also be popular. 

Against: Mr Wharton hasn’t been able to quantify the benefit for the North West despite his support of asset sales. 

If there was a funding promise for new infrastructure, voters might have some faith in the government turning around its neglect of the North West in recent years. 

Most of Queensland appears against asset sales, and in the North West that sentiment is amplified with fears for jobs if state-owned assets are left in the profit-hungry hands of foreign companies. 

The cattle industry has lamented scores of decision to favour miners over graziers – will one of their own be able to readjust policies to help already struggling producers?

For: There’s no shortage of swinging voters across Queensland – especially in regional Queensland, and Mr Sheard could pick up some support from voters who are simply after someone different. 

He will lobby for tradies and more apprentices, something necessary to keep the region sustainable into the future. 

He might pick up a few votes from disfranchised major party followers not keen on backing the KAP. 

Against: The snap election certainly won’t help the One Nation candidate – despite best intentions, he’s barely had enough time to get out of the Isa to get his name in the spotlight. His party isn’t tipped to win a seat and leader Pauline Hanson’s return hasn’t attracted the same support as her first foray into politics. 

Mr Sheard is the rank outsider and the only contest is likely to be a race for the election wooden spoon with the Greens.

For: There are solid policies within the Greens candidate’s pitch and a recent push to switch away from an economy solely focused on mining means these policies aren’t as far-fetched as they once were. 

A focus to combat youth suicide, push for more local employment and decreasing FIFO are key issues and they are all on the wish-list of most Mount Isans. 

Dr Foth also wants to utilise the wide expanses of the region for the development of next-generation solar power plants and promote our wide open spaces as alternatives to the hustle and bustle of the cities.

Against: Voters would have to overcome the short-sightedness and economic stifling most of the Greens policies would bring. And in an electorate still so reliant on mining, the Green vote rarely stands a chance and it’s likely to be the same again. As is often the case with Greens’ candidates, campaigning from the coast doesn’t excite North West voters.