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Queensland Labor will lose every seat at March election, predicts billionaire Clive Palmer
by: Petrina Berry From: AAP February 11, 2012 12:30PM

LNP backer Clive Palmer says the ALP will be swept from office - and practically from existence - at the March poll.

LABOR will lose all its seats at the Queensland election, mining magnate Clive Palmer is predicting.

"The Labor party won't win one seat. That's what I predict," Mr Palmer, the billionaire bankroller of the Liberal National Party (LNP), said on Saturday.

"I think you will see the Katter party will become the opposition of Queensland and there will be an LNP government."

Asked who he would support as premier if the LNP won power but the party's leader, Campbell Newman, failed to win the seat of Ashgrove, Mr Palmer replied, "The LNP will win Ashgrove."

Mr Newman is again being dogged by leadership questions after a poll yesterday showed his popularity is slipping in the inner-west Brisbane seat he needs to win.

The ReachTEL poll shows Mr Newman at 51 per cent and sitting Labor MP Kate Jones at 49 per cent on a two-party preferred vote.

Mr Palmer said Mr Newman was still polling much higher than Labor incumbent Kate Jones.

He said he could have chosen a safer seat but he chose Ashgrove because that is "where he lives."

"I stand in awe of Campbell Newman," Mr Palmer said.

He likened Mr Newman to French Polynesia President Oscar Temaru, at a joint press conference with Mr Temaru and Brisbane lord mayor Graham Quirk.

The press conference, at the Hilton Hotel in Brisbane, was originally organised by Mr Palmer to speak about potential economic opportunities with the Pacific country.

Mr Palmer said Mr Newman was showing the same political courage as Mr Temaru, who had gone up against the French government to stop nuclear testing in his homeland.

"I know Campbell could have demanded a safe seat in this state but he showed the same political courage rejecting that," he said.

Mr Palmer admitted he had some influence over the LNP.

"When he was offered the leadership of the LNP, everyone said I have some influence in the LNP. I hope I have, I'm a life member and have been a member for 50 years," he said.

"So I expect to have some influence because of my membership more than anything else."

The election is scheduled for March 24.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-labor-will-lose-every-seat-palmer/story-fnbt5t29-1226268471102