Dawson LNP candidate: Whitsunday Mayor Andrew Willcox named winner

‘George Christensen, he’s larger than life and he’s done a great job in Dawson … but I’m the new man for the job and I will deliver.’ Here’s the LNP’s next candidate.

Whitsunday Mayor Andrew Willcox has won the battle to replace George Christensen as the LNP candidate for Dawson at the next federal election.

“I’m really excited to be nominated today as the candidate,” Mr Willcox said.

“The seat’s been really well held by George (Christensen) in the past and I’m keen to become involved and make sure they have the best representation for all my people in the seat of Dawson.

“There’s no more noble job than actually to serve the community and look after their needs.

Whitsunday Mayor Andrew Willcox, pictured with wife Raylene, is the next LNP candidate to take on the Dawson seat at the upcoming federal election. He is pictured after winning the bid at the preselection meeting at Farview Tavern in Farleigh. Picture: Heidi Petith

Mr Willcox faced former Mackay councillor Chris Bonanno and Burdekin farmer Charles ‘Chas’ Pasquale as each put their case forward for LNP preselection to party members ahead of the next federal election, widely speculated to be in March next year.

The third-generation farmer has held his mayoral position since 2016 and lives with his wife Raylene in Bowen.

They have three children, Jack, Shannon and Tom.

Whitsunday Mayor Andrew Willcox, pictured with wife Raylene, is the next LNP candidate to take on the Dawson seat at the upcoming federal election. Picture: Heidi Petith

Mr Willcox said it was still early days and so he could not say when or how the candidacy would impact his mayoral role.

“Some of my biggest achievements as Mayor, I’ve been able to secure over $200 million of state and federal funding for many, many projects throughout the whole of the Whitsundays and I’m sure I’ll be able to do the same for the seat of Dawson.

“It’s all about building infrastructure and first and foremost looking after the people, listening to what they’ve got to say and making sure they’re represented in Canberra in the best possible light.”

Mr Willcox said major projects included building Urannah Dam and Burdekin Falls Stage 2.

“George Christensen, he’s larger than life and he’s done a great job in Dawson but I’m Andrew Willcox, I’m the new man for the job and I will deliver for Dawson,” he said.

Potential candidate, Whitsunday mayor Andrew Willcox, at the Liberal National Party's preselection meeting for the Dawson candidacy. Picture: Heidi Petith

Former Mackay councillor Chris Bonanno unsuccessfully stood against Labor’s Julieanne Gilbert in November’s state election for the seat of Mackay.

He was formerly the general manager of Grant Broadcasters – the Star and 4MK stations in Mackay — and is currently a commercial real estate agent.

Melon and capsicum farmer Charles ‘Chas’ Pasquale has a lower public profile.

Having secured the LNP candidacy for Dawson, Mr Willcox will prepare to face-off against Labor’s candidate Shane Hamilton, a mine worker and father-of-three.

“I think it really doesn’t matter who the LNP candidate is, the fact of the matter is the LNP stopped supporting the seat of Dawson a long time ago,” Mr Hamilton said after learning his opponent’s identity.

“The LNP is in trouble.”

Mr Hamilton said the LNP’s eight years in power had let labour casualisation “run rampant” in the mining industry and stifled innovation towards the sugar industry’s biofuture, adding they had also “stuffed up” the Covid-19 vaccination rollout and quarantines.

He said his priorities headed into battle were upgrading highways, particularly at Goorganga Plains, and boosting additional economies in the electorate such as the hydrogen gas project at Hay Point and alternative products from sugar cane.

Whitsunday Mayor Andrew Willcox, pictured with wife Raylene, is the next LNP candidate to take on the Dawson seat at the upcoming federal election. He is pictured after winning the bid at the preselection meeting at Farview Tavern in Farleigh. Picture: Heidi Petith

On the pre-selection brochure, Mr Willcox identified his priorities for the Dawson seat as completing the Mackay Community Hub, creating “world class” yacht maintenance facility in Bowen, building Urannah Dam, Burdekin Falls Stage 2 and a North Queensland coal-fired power station and upgrading Hamilton Plains.

He also want to fight against “unnecessary green tape penalising our farmers” and setting up a Mackay-based small and family business ombudsman.

The pre-selection meetings come after incumbent Dawson MP George Christensen announced his retirement from federal politics after more than a decade in the hot seat.

The electorate of Dawson extends from the southern suburbs of Mackay to the southern suburbs of Townsville.

Since its inception in 1897, Labor has only held the seat twice – between 1966 and 1975, and 2007 and 2010.

Dawson MP outspoken George Christensen this month made a speech about anti-Covid policies in Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

At the 2019 election, Mr Christensen secured an 11.24 per cent swing toward him. He was not at the meeting today.