Bundaberg Mayor Jack Dempsey confirms he’ll run for Hinkler

Popular Bundaberg Mayor and former LNP minister Jack Dempsey has confirmed he will contest the federal election as an Independent.

Former Queensland LNP police minister and popular Bundaberg Mayor Jack Dempsey has made a tight federal election a little tighter with an announcement he will contest the seat of Hinkler as an Independent.

Cr Dempsey, who was the state member from 2006 to 2015 and has been mayor since 2016, said he was looking for a positive change for the Bundaberg region, and did not believe the sitting LNP Member Keith Pitt was going to deliver it.

“I just live and breathe this place, and I want the best for it,’’ Cr Dempsey said of the Bundaberg region which he sees as a national food bowl as well as a technology, tourism, defence and manufacturing centre.

“I’ll work to encourage emerging industries in tourism, technology, renewables, defence and advanced manufacturing.

“We need investment in critical infrastructure including hospital upgrades, irrigation, urban water security for Hervey Bay and flood mitigation for Bundaberg.

“I will stop the neglect of our beautiful region.’’

Cr Dempsey said it was clear that after nine years in office the incumbent Keith Pitt has no ideas to boost employment and economic development, or to address inequality.

Bundaberg Mayor and former LNP minister Jack Dempsey

“As the Minister for Coal, Mr Pitt is out of touch with the local community on climate change, the housing crisis, flood mitigation and coal mining.’’

The Federal seat of Hinkler was formed in 1984 after carving off some parts of Capricornia and Wide Bay and first won by Nationals MP Brian Conquest before Labor’s Brian Courtice won the seat in 1987 for two successive terms.

The Bundaberg district does have some history with independent MPs with former Queensland Labor Treasurer, Ted Walsh, winning as an Independent in the state seat of Bundaberg in both 1963 and 1966 elections.

The Labor candidate in Hinkler is former Army candidate Jason Scanes while Kristie Nash is running for a United Australia Party whose preferences will now come into play in the contest.

Mr Courtice said he did not doubt the arrival of Cr Dempsey in the contest was a “game changer’’ in a seat which had been considered super safe for the Coalition which has a 14 per cent margin in Hinkler but was now a three horse race. .

“To risk a bad pun on an old movie, I think this election might end up being a bit of an “Independent’s Day.’’