That did not stop a concerted LNP campaign against Dr Lynham, who has moved into the electorate, from the LNP, with election material stating he lived on the south side and urging voters not to vote for a “part-time blow-in”. In a letter sent on the morning of the byelection in response to a Queensland Labor Party complaint, the Electoral Commission of Queensland confirmed the material “constitutes a breach of Section 185(2) of the Electoral Act 1992”. Later in the day, electoral commissioner Walter van der Merwe watered down that assessment. “It is appropriate that I correct the wording of that letter,” he wrote to the LNP. “The letter should have stated that the material appears to contain false statements of fact and it may therefore be in breach of s 185.”

But Premier Campbell Newman brushed off the rebuke when he was asked about it on Saturday morning. “I’m not going to get into that argument today” he said. “We all know what the facts are.” Mr Newman repeated the claims as he campaigned with Mr Andersen at Wilston State School. “In this case, we’ve got a bloke who has lived here in the long term and we’ve got an opponent who lives on the south side of Brisbane and has for many, many years and also runs his medical practice on the south side of Brisbane,” he said.

“I’m afraid the other side have tried to blur the issue and I think it is an important one. You can’t just parachute in and say that you’re a local.” The LNP was unapologetic on Saturday afternoon, tweeting to reinforce the claims that it had to delete from its signs. Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk said the Premier had been “peddling lies” about Dr Lynham. “Dr Anthony Lynham lives in Stafford and the independent umpire, the Queensland Electoral Commission, confirmed that today and has asked the LNP to take down their signs,” she said.

“The true test here is why Campbell Newman hasn’t acted sooner. Why has Campbell Newman allowed these lies to be perpetrated right up until the voting day? Stafford deserves better.” Predictably, both major parties were keen to claim underdog status as the people of Stafford went to the polls. Mr Newman said Mr Andersen had fought a “very hard battle” for Stafford. “He’s been a passionate local and he will, if he’s elected, serve the people of Stafford and give 100 per cent to this community, but it’s in the hands of the people right now,” he said. “He is the underdog. We’ve certainly started from behind and we’ll just have to see how it goes, but if he doesn’t get up tonight I hope in the general election next year he gives it another go.”

While Dr Lynham was the overwhelming favourite to win the seat, Ms Palaszczuk said the 7.1 per cent swing required was “huge in anyone’s terms”. “This is not Redcliffe. There is no Scott Driscoll factor here,” she said, referring to the February byelection, triggered by the disgraced former LNP MP’s resignation. “Today is a day where the residents of Stafford finally have their opportunity to send a message to Campbell Newman and I’m quite sure the residents of Stafford will be echoing what everybody else is saying right across Queensland.” Dr Lynham said his team was not taking anything for granted, although he had some encouraging signs early on. “Our team will be working right up to 6pm, all the way,” he said.

“…I’m surprised by the number of pensioners coming out saying they’ve voted LNP their entire life and this is the first time they’re going to give a vote to Labor. “I’m very surprised by that and it’s heartening, but that’s just a small sub-set. We’ve got the whole electorate here we have to consider and I’m working as hard as I possibly can.”