Libs get a win, and a solid swing, in Fadden by-election

The Liberal Party chalked up a major morale-boosting by-election win, retaining the seat of Fadden, but Labor claims the party ‘underperformed’.

The Liberal Party chalked up a major morale-boosting win on Saturday, retaining the blue-ribbon seat of Fadden and winning back some of the voter support the coalition lost at last year’s federal election.

Long-serving Gold Coast councillor Cameron Caldwell will replace former Morrison government minister Stuart Robert in the federal parliament after easily winning the by-election triggered by Mr Robert’s resignation back in May.

Mr Caldwell is a former solicitor and long-serving Gold Coast city councillor who was previously disendorsed by the LNP before the Queensland state election in 2012 after a visit to a swingers club three years earlier.

On Saturday night – with his pregnant wife Laura and two daughters, Mackenzie and Clementine, by his side – he was lauded as the “man of the moment” by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.

Cameron Caldwell will be a great voice for Fadden locals as their new federal MP.

The people of Fadden have delivered a clear message to Anthony Albanese tonight that they want the government to address cost of living pressures and local crime. pic.twitter.com/Cu7p6uDQ9O

— Peter Dutton (@PeterDutton_MP) July 15, 2023

“He’s worked tirelessly for this community for over a dozen years. He’s accomplished in the law, in small business. He’s worked hard for his local community and he will continue that work as the federal member for Fadden,” Mr Dutton told an excited, but “shagged” party faithful after close to two weeks of pre-polling and more than a month of campaigning on a platform of cost of living, crime and fire ants that are close to eroding the area’s tourism attractions.

Cameron Caldwell, centre, the new MP for Fadden with Peter Dutton. Picture: Facebook

“Our country is going in the wrong direction under Anthony Albanese … but I want to make special mention tonight as the future involves the man of the moment,” Mr Dutton said welcoming Mr Caldwell to the stage.

During the victory speeches, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese tweeted his congratulations to Mr Caldwell and thanked the ALP candidate, Letitia Del Fabbro.

“Thanks for flying the flag,” Mr Albanese said.

Congratulations to @Cam_M_Caldwell on being elected to the House of Representatives - thank you to @letitia4fadden for flying the flag for @AustralianLabor

— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) July 15, 2023

Ms Del Fabbro said she was buoyed on the campaign that people were responding to moves by the government to offer “cheaper childcare, cheaper medicines and energy rebates”.

She ran against Mr Robert in the federal election and attracted a 3.6 per cent swing.

Projections for the weekend’s poll show Mr Caldwell will claw back some ground it lost to Labor last year, attracting a swing of about 4 to 5 per cent for the LNP, once primary votes are exhausted and postal votes are tallied.

He was one of 13 candidates on the ballot. By 10pm on Saturday, with a little more than 33 per cent of the primary votes counted, the Greens had slipped to fourth and lost ground to the Legalise Cannabis Party by shedding close to 5 per cent.

Pauline Nation’s One Nation also saw a dip, down close to 1 per cent.

Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley described the result as ‘”terrific” and a “strong endorsement” forthe Opposition.

“We don’t know how big the swing will be, but we’re talking about a swing to the LNP around 2 to 3 per cent,” Ms Ley said. “That’s before postals and prepolls are counted, and we expect them to break our way.”

She rubbished suggestions by Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles that the result was “lethargic” for the Opposition.

“What I saw in Queensland yesterday and what I know I’m going to see the rest of this week is a strong endorsement of Peter Dutton, of our team, and of our candidates.”

Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the result was “entirely what was expected”.

“We are neither surprised nor troubled by the outcome,” the Treasurer told the ABC.

“It was entirely what was expected.

“If anything, the LNP underperformed against the historical average, after spending more than half a million dollars on the seat, which we think was probably at least 10 times what Labor spent on the seat.

“It’s been hard yards for us in Queensland for some time, and obviously, we need to do much better in Queensland than we have for the last decade or so.”

Agriculture Minister Murray Watt downplayed the result. The ALP has remained static in terms of returns from what it saw last May, a result the Queensland senator called “ho hum”.

Mr Watt thanked the ALP faithful for supporting Ms Del Fabbro who he welcomed to the stage after reminding people to vote yes in the Voice referendum later this year.

Meanwhile, Mr Dutton and Queensland Opposition leader David Crisafulli basked in the win ahead of the Queensland state election, due by October 2024, ahead of the next federal poll due by May 2025.

“The people of Fadden, like other people right across the country, in marginal seats, in outer metropolitan areas, people are hurting at the moment. The Labor economic experiment is failing Australian. Labor’s energy experiment is failing Australians. As you moved around the booths, you get people who are raising important issues, like their mortgages,” Mr Dutton said.

ALP Queensland state director Kate Flanders said booths on Saturday were “quiet and punters were pretty inscrutable, no one wanted to take any how to vote cards from anyone”.