Qld; Beattie casts his vote, fears ballot too close for comfort

AAP General News (Australia)
02-17-2001
Qld; Beattie casts his vote, fears ballot too close for comfort

BRISBANE, Feb 17 AAP - Queensland Premier Peter Beattie cast his vote in the inner
Brisbane suburb of New Farm today, accompanied by wife Heather and a media scrum.

Despite pre-polling results to the contrary, Mr Beattie still claimed to be worried
that the result of today's election would be too close for comfort.

"I'm always worried about these things," Mr Beattie told reporters outside the polling
booth at the New Farm State School.

"I remember the Goss Gloss produced a loss in 1995/96 and we can do the same thing," he said.

He was referring to the 1995 election and Mundingburra by-election of February 3, 1996,
which led to the defeat of the government of former Labor premier Wayne Goss and the Coalition's
rise to power later that month.

"I never take anything for granted," he said.

But he said he had been at several Brisbane polling booths this morning and had found
"a good positive feeling" there.

Opposition leader Rob Borbidge voted today at Broadbeach, on the Gold Coast; Liberal
Leader David Watson at Indooroopilly in Brisbane's western suburbs; and Pauline Hanson
at Gatton, west of Brisbane.

AAP rad/cdh

KEYWORD: POLLQLD BEATTIE

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