Crisafulli government facing first voter test in by-election
A year after taking power in Queensland, the Liberal National Party government will face a by-election for the regional seat of Hinchinbrook, announced for November 29.
A year after taking power, the Crisafulli government will face its first major test, with the by-election for the regional seat of Hinchinbrook announced for November 29.
The poll in the Katter’s Australian Party-held electorate will be a gauge of the Liberal National Party’s popularity in regional Queensland amid soaring support for smaller, right-leaning parties.
Parliamentary Speaker Pat Weir issued the writs on Monday, with Premier David Crisafulli announcing the date in a prerecorded message alongside LNP candidate and long-time friend Wayde Chiesa.
“I can announce the by-election will be held on November 29 this year,” Mr Crisafulli said. “This time, vote one Wayde Chiesa – he’s the only choice who can deliver this once-in-a-generation opportunity and get Hinchinbrook to the decision table.”
A vacancy was created last month with the resignation of Nick Dametto, who is running for Townsville mayor after an investigation by Queensland’s corruption watchdog led to former council leader Troy Thompson stepping down.
The two polls will run concurrently, with the local government postal ballot due on November 15.
Former Townsville councillor Mark Molachino will run for KAP. His campaign has been targeted by the LNP because of Mr Molachino’s former membership with the Labor Party.
Opposition Leader Steven Miles announced that former local councillor Maurie Soars would run for Labor, which has not held the seat in decades. He labelled the government’s flyer campaign linking KAP to Labor as “misleading”.
“They’re not content with trying to win this by-election fair and square, they will say or do anything, and you’ve already seen a lot of that,” Mr Miles said.
The Opposition Leader said Mr Soars would “be a very strong voice” for the electorate, referring to the pause in the Townsville Hospital’s slated expansion and a doubling of ambulance ramping at the facility. “The people of Hinchinbrook have had 12 months of this LNP government, and they deserve better,” Mr Miles said.
The polling date coincides with the weekend of Labor’s State Conference in Brisbane.
Labor preferences were pivotal to Mr Dametto’s election to his first term in 2017, catapulting him from third on first-preference votes to steal the seat on a margin of 7.6 per cent.
One Nation’s announced candidate, small-business owner Lisa Buchtmann, withdrew from the election for health reasons days after being announced. The minor party is still expected to field a candidate, which could change the outcome of the poll.
Newspoll shows support for the Pauline Hanson-led party has surged since the state election.
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