It was a rock star welcome for the underdogs.
Clad in red shirts and clutching cardboard banners, the crowd of Labor Party supporters greeted Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Longman seat hopeful Susan Lamb with a frenetic energy.
They packed the Caboolture RSL Club on Sunday, surging forward to shake the politicians' hands, posing for selfies and slapping each other on the back in delight when they were on the receiving end of a wave.
The room hummed for the hour-long launch of Labor's campaign in the lead-up to next weekend's crucial by-election.
Not even the latest ReachTEL poll, which showed the LNP's Trevor Ruthenberg ahead of Ms Lamb on the two-party preferred vote, could bring Mr Shorten down as he took to the podium for his 15-minute address.
Mr Shorten, who was introduced as "Australia's next Prime Minister", was in his element, relaxed and jovial as he preached to the converted about Labor's health and education plans.
He conceded Labor was going in to the vote as the underdogs, but said Ms Lamb was "a fighter who knows what it is like to strive and succeed".
"She's a single mum who loves her kids and loves her community," he said, to thunderous applause.
Any mention of the LNP or One Nation were met with cries of "Shame", and his jokes about "Big Trev" Ruthenberg's recent military medal mistake - where he was forced to apologise after erroneously claiming he had received the Australian Service Award - drew delighted titters from the crowd.
Ms Palaszczuk and Ms Lamb received similar receptions as they spoke about the region's ailing health services, their pledges to reduce power prices, and to "back Queensland families", with each receiving a standing ovation after their speeches.
The politicians left as they arrived, to raucous cheers, cameras in their faces, and beaming smiles.
As they were driven away in their cars, the supporters filed into the RSL bistro to enjoy a beer, bask in the energy of the morning, and contemplate the election ahead.
Australian Associated Press
