Revisiting Six Queenslands: Disaggregating the Regional Vote at the 2020 Queensland State Election

The 2020 Queensland state election was the first Australian state (but not territory) poll conducted under the pall of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite often unpopular border closures and severe business restrictions, the Palaszczuk Labor Government was easily re-elected to a third term with a net seat gain. As always, the results revealed a heterogenous electorate varying widely in vote preference according to geographical location. This article argues that, unlike early analyses of Queensland elections, the state is not dichotomised simply between 'Coast' and 'Inland' or between 'Brisbane' and 'the Bush'. Instead, the article builds on previous research to argue Queensland divides into six regions of voter behaviour, each with its own distinct economic and demographic characteristics.