In the two months from late November to early January, prior to Premier Peter Beattie announcing the date of the next Queensland State Election, primary support for the Queensland ALP fell 1% to 51.5%. Support for the Liberal Party rose 3.5% to 24% while support for the National Party fell 1.5% to 8%.

Amongst the minor parties, support for One Nation fell 1% to 5%, the Greens fell 1% to 5%, Australian Democrats fell 0.5% to 1.5% and Other Parties and Independent Candidates rose 1.5% to 6%.

On a two-party preferred basis, support for the ALP rose 1.5% to 61% while support for the L-NP was 39% (down 1.5%). The ALP would have easily won an election held in early January, the Morgan Poll finds.

During the period:

• The Beattie Government announced funding of $247 million to solve the overcrowding on peak-hour trains between the Gold Coast and Brisbane.

• The 2003 schoolies festival reaped $60 million of revenue for Queensland.

• An audit report of Queensland’s foster care system revealed 100 cases where Families Department officers failed to satisfactorily investigate abuse allegations, leaving foster children at risk of harm. The six-month audit found that massive under-resourcing and a lack of properly trained staff caused systemic problems within the Department.

• It was revealed that Tourism Minister, Merri Rose, allowed her son unrestricted access to her tax-payer funded electorate car. Merri Rose denied any wrong-doing but reclaimed her car. This resulted in Premier Peter Beattie issuing a ban on Ministers using their taxpayer-funded cars for outside business purposes.

• Mark Latham replaced Simon Crean as leader of the Federal Labor Party.

Special Roy Morgan Qualitative Research in which respondents gave their reason for voting was conducted on November 15/16 and December 13/14, 2003.

Amongst ALP supporters there was overwhelming approval of Peter Beattie and his leadership. The ALP were considered to be performing well and many respondents judged their policies as being superior to those of the Liberal Party.

Liberal Party supporters typically were disgruntled with the current Government and preferred the Liberal Party’s traditional beliefs. Many thought that the Liberal Party could do a better job with the Queensland economy and had better policies than the ALP.

Preferences of supporters of the Greens (ALP — 80.5% cf L-NP — 19.5%), the Australian Democrats (ALP — 65% cf L-NP — 35%) and Other Parties and Independent Candidates (ALP — 51% cf L-NP — 49%) favoured the ALP Government. Supporters of One Nation (L-NP — 56% cf ALP — 44%) favoured the Opposition.