Litmus test: why Queensland’s election matters to Albanese and Dutton

Queensland premier Steven Miles (right) speaks to media as prime minister Anthony Albanese (left) looks on. The PM has been far more visible than Coalition leader Peter Dutton in the latter’s home state. Photograph: Nuno Avendano/AAP

Rockhampton has been a Labor town for more than 90 years; voters in Australia’s “beef capital” have sent a Labor MP to the Queensland parliament in Brisbane at each of the last 31 state elections.

With Queenslanders heading to the polls on 26 October, few seats capture the state of play better than “Rocky”, a regional heartland that Labor held even in 2012, when it was reduced to just seven MPs.