Annastacia Palaszczuk’s election victory saw Queensland voters embrace her COVID message

In an election victory driven by her management of COVID-19, the dire second wave in Victoria likely helped Annastacia Palaszczuk.

Defending her tough border policy and her message about keeping Queenslanders safe, she had a real life example to illustrate what happens when the virus gets away.

Her win reinforced the accepted wisdom that this crisis favours incumbents — provided people think they are doing the right thing.

The Queensland outcome might at one level be galling for the Federal Government — which has been sniping at Palaszczuk’s border policy for months — but at another it is also reassuring for Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who has so far managed the pandemic response well.

That said, Morrison has a rockier road to…