Secret Harbour byelection LIVE updates: WA seat up for grabs in Labor, One Nation showdown following resignation of Paul Papalia

Queensland Labor frontbencher Meaghan Scanlon has announced she will continue to contest her Gold Coast seat, Gaven, in the upcoming 2028 state election despite significant boundary changes. The Queensland Redistribution Commission released its recommendations in June, requiring substantial alterations to Gaven's electoral boundaries, as it fell below the required quota and was projected to fall even further.

During the Labor state conference speech on Saturday, Opposition Leader Steven Miles affirmed Scanlon would stand again in Gaven, dismissing concerns that she might consider a safer seat. Miles expressed his confidence in Scanlon's ability to win, stating, "I am very confident, not only can she win but she will win."

Scanlon, who is perceived as a potential future party leader, is Labor's sole representative on the Gold Coast, while all other seats are held by the Liberal National Party (LNP). She was first elected to Gaven in 2017 and served as environment minister and housing minister under both the Palaszczuk and Miles governments.

In response to the boundary review, Scanlon reaffirmed her commitment to remaining in her hometown seat, stating, "I've been underestimated every time I've run. My focus is getting the support of Gold Coasters to win. I don't give up when things get tough, I'm going to stay and fight."

Scanlon narrowly defeated the LNP candidate, Bianca Stone, at the 2024 election. Stone, who is now the chief of staff in Police Minister Dan Purdie's office, has not yet decided on her plans for the next election and remains content in her current role.

When asked whether he could guarantee leading the party to the 2028 election, Miles emphatically replied, "Of course." Former Labor MP and political analyst John Mickel emphasized that if Scanlon had abandoned her seat, the LNP's dominance on the Gold and Sunshine Coasts would have significantly increased, making it mathematically challenging for Labor to secure a state election victory.