Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has scored well in her debut as campaigner-in-chief in the Brisbane Central by-election. The ALP has scored 50.06% of the vote to date, which compares with 50.48% last time. This probably means that there was virtually no swing against the government.

Why? It might be attributable to Bligh's honeymoon. If it is, then that indicates that the poor government of Queensland has ceased to be an issue for the time-being, which won't help John Howard retain seats here.

It's also not encouraging for the Queensland Greens. They should be disappointed with their result. At 33.96% it is almost double their figure at the general election, but as their candidate, small businesswoman Anna Bocabella, would have attracted many Liberal voters, in the absence of a Liberal candidate, it probably indicates no change in their vote, or a small decrease.