11pm update
We’ve put a story online about Mr Katter’s likely new power in a possible hung parliament.
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That’s all for tonight. We’ll have more news tomorrow (Sunday).
9.20pm update
There’s now 86/103 booths counted in Kennedy with a 10.9% swing to Bob Katter.
Katter 19064, Pavetto LNP 14648, Jacobsen ALP 8777, Weier Greens 2404, Gallehawk FF 1776.
In 2PP terms it’s 61.7-38.3 to KAP over the LNP.
Mr Katter could be in a very powerful position after the election with a hung parliament very possible.
Overall its 72 LNP, 65 ALP, 5 others and eight still doubtful.
8.05pm update
73/103 booths counted in Kennedy
Katter 15938, Pavetto LNP 12587, Jacobsen ALP 6940, Weier Greens 2028, Gallehawk FF 1511
Overall
LNP 57 ALP 56 Others 5 (Katter, Bandt of the Greens, Wilkie, McGowan, Sharkie of Nick Xenophon Team). with 32 undecided.
And we’ve just had the nightly Mount Isa shudder….
7.45pm update
63/103 booths counted in Kennedy and the only question remaining is Bob Katter’s margin of victory. At the moment the margin is 62-38% on 2PP against the LNP, making it as it was prior to 2013 – a very safe KAP seat.
Katter 13077, Pavetto LNP 10191, Jacobsen ALP 5506, Weier Greens 1661, Gallehawk FF 1195
The overall election remains very tight with the LNP on 55 seats, Lab 55, Greens 1 Others 3 (Katter, Wilkie, McGowan) and 36 seats still up for grabs.
7.25pm update
54/103 booths counted in Kennedy and Bob Katter continues to lead comfortably. He has a swing of 10.42% from 2013 with a swing against the LNP of 8.91%. Labor is up 2.56% from the last election.
Katter 10596, Pavetto LNP 8525, Jacobsen 4167, Weier Greens 1360, Gallehawk FF 947.
Elsewhere the opposition is picking up some seats such as Dobell, Eden-Monaro and Herbert but not likely enough for victory.
7.10pm update
43 out of 103 booths are in and we are calling it: Bob Katter has retained the seat of Kennedy with a swing of over 10%.
This is Mr Katter’s ninth election win in Kennedy since 1993.
Latest results. Katter 7562, Pavetto LNP 6297, Jacobsen ALP 3038, Weier Greens 957, Gallehawk FF 713.
7pm update
Okay, 35/103 booths in and there is a clear trend towards Bob Katter’s re-election.
He has an 11% swing from 2013 where he just got over the line with the help of Labor but this time he is out in front on first preferences and slowly stretching his lead over Jonathan Pavetto of the LNP
Katter 5415, Pavetto 4598, Jacobsen Labor 2160, Weier Greens 712, Gallehawk FF 505
6.50pm update
Kennedy booths are continuing to set a cracking pace and the early signs look good for the re-election of Bob Katter.
With 18/103 booths counted he has 40% of the vote, a swing of over %11 towards him from 2013.
Katter 2014, Pavetto LNP 1811, Jacobsen ALP 813, Gallehawk FF 204, Weier Greens 189
6.45pm update
14/103 booths counted and Bob Katter is holding the lead.
Katter 1541, Pavetto LNP 1347, Jacobsen ALP 637, Gallehawk FF 150, Weier Greens 148
6.35 update
Booth updates for Kennedy coming through now and it’s beginning to look good for Bob Katter.
With 6/103 booths counted its:
Katter 455, Pavetto LNP 405, Jacobsen ALP 108, Gallehawk FF 38, Weier Greens 21.
That’s Bob on 44% of the vote and a 11.7% swing to him.
6.30pm update
The first booth results are already coming in for Kennedy.
With 2 of 103 booths counted its:
Pavetto (LNP) 172, Katter (KAP) 145, Jacobsen (ALP) 58, Gallehawk (FF) 13, Weier (Greens) 8.
While that might sound like Katter is in trouble, it actually represents a 6.4% swing to him based on 2013 results.
6.15pm update
We caught up with Bob yesterday where he made his last pitch to Mount Isa voters before heading to the coast today. He was in the Cairns suburb of Edmonton which is the largest booth of the electorate, which a vast territory from the Gulf to Boulia, and from the NT border to a stretch of coast between Townsville and Cairns.
Mr Katter has held the seat since 1993 but almost lost it in 2013 to the LNP’s Noeline Ikin, behind by 10,000 votes before winning on Labor preferences.
Ms Ikin was favourite to win this time but was forced to withdraw in January due to a brain tumour. Her replacement, the 25-year-old Jonathan Pavetto is from a fifth-generation family of canegrowers near Ingham and he has been advocate for the industry. Yesterday he encouraged people to vote for him.
“It's simple: A vote for Bob Katter is a vote for the Australian Labor Party and the Australian Greens,” he said.
“North Queensland deserves better. Say no to Katter, say no to Labor.”
Labor’s Norm Jacobsen said he created a bit of history in Mutchilba today.
“I’m the first federal candidate to vote in the town,” he said.
“Make Kennedy matter- today's the day.
FIRST UPDATE 6pm
It’s 6pm Saturday, July 2 in the east of Australia and that means polling has closed in Queensland, NSW, Victoria, ACT and Tasmania.
Here in Mount Isa we are the largest centre of the vast seat of Kennedy held since 1993 by Bob Katter.
Mr Katter, now 72 is going around again and faces opposition from canefarmer advocate Jonathan Pavetto of the LNP, farmer, former correctionals officer Norm Jacobsen of Labor, pensioner Valerie Weier of the Greens and fly in candidate, the Rockhampton-based Donna Gallehawk of Family First.
We’ll be following progress as results come in during the night as well as following the wider election results.
So pull up a pew, put on the the kettle and settle in for a big night.
Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
