New Liberal National Party Callide MP, Bryson Head, elected youngest state parliamentarian following by-election

Voters in the large regional state seat of Callide have elected Queensland’s youngest member of parliament following the by-election triggered by Colin Boyce’s move to federal politics. Here’s what issues matter most to Bryson Head.

The rural electorate of Callide will now be represented by Queensland’s youngest MP following the LNP’s successful result at Saturday’s by-election.

Bryson Head, 26, is a Chinchilla local who was raised on a beef and grain property in regional Queensland and will look to bring his lived-experience in advocating for the people he grew up with in the bush.

Mr Head is a geologist by trade and has previously said what will be front of mind is getting a better deal for remote Queenslanders on issues such as health, roads, and protecting resource jobs.

New Callide MP, and youngest member of the Queensland parliament, Bryson Head (right) was elected on Saturday June 18. Picture: Supplied

“I’ll be fighting for better healthcare in the bush, people are sick and tired of being taken for granted by the state government, I want to get some of our roads fixed, ideally all of our roads but you’ve got to start somewhere,” Mr Head said.

“Also, people need to start feeling safe in their homes again, not only that but we’ve got to fight for our primary industries and the jobs in the resource sector.”

A long-time member of the Young LNP (the youth branch of the Liberal National Party in Queensland), Mr Head becomes the youngest elected member of the party and the parliament.

Mr Head, 26 (left) ran for the seat following former Callide MP, Colin Boyce resigning to successfully move across to federal politics in the seat of Flynn. Picture: Supplied

While there has been a handful of Queensland parliamentarian join the fold in their 20s, former state MP Lawrence Springborg remains the youngest ever elected, at just 21 years old in 1989.

Mr Head met with state Opposition Leader David Crisafulli on Sunday morning, saying as the youngest person in parliament, he wanted to be a voice for not just his region, but all young people across Queensland.

“I didn’t expect to be here anytime, it wasn’t on the plan, but the opportunity came up and I love fighting for my region, I love fighting for the bush and that’s why I thought I’d put my hand up,” he said.

“For all young people out there that are passionate about your community, then all I say is get involved in things because I want to see you here in parliament with me in the future.”

Mr Head’s election follows former state MP, Colin Boyce resigning from state politics to make his successful move to Canberra as the new member for Flynn at the federal election last month.

Mr Boyce was one of the first to congratulate Mr Head on his election success.

“I look forward to working with Bryson to keep our agricultural industry strong, keeping our coal fired power plants operating and providing the services our regional and rural communities deserve,” Mr Boyce said.

Callide is a massive state electorate, with its boundary stretching from Gin Gin and Calliope in the east, out past Taroom in the west, and from Chinchilla up north to Biloela.

According to the Electoral Commission of Queensland website, as of midday Sunday Mr Head had secured 49.15 per cent of the primary vote.

ABC election analyst Antony Green, an hour after polls closed, projected the LNP had taken “a hit” on first preferences but would “easily hold Callide”.

Mr Head’s opponents included One Nation’s Sharon Lohse, who has previously run for Flynn and the state seat of Maryborough, as well Labor’s Bronwyn Dendle who was hand-picked by Annastacia Palaszczuk following her advocacy to help return the Tamil asylum seeker Nadesalingam family back to Biloela.