2025 Hinchinbrook state by-election
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29 November 2025
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Electoral district of Hinchinbrook in the Queensland Legislative Assembly | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Registered | 39,818 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Turnout | 77.81% ( 10.15) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 2025 Hinchinbrook state by-election was held on 29 November 2025 to elect the member for Hinchinbrook in the Queensland Legislative Assembly, following the resignation of Katter's Australian Party (KAP) MP Nick Dametto.[1][2]
Dametto, who had served as the member for Hinchinbrook since 2017, announced his resignation on 26 September 2025 in order to contest a by-election for Townsville mayor.[3][4] Under Queensland law, candidates running for local government positions cannot be a member of a state or federal parliament.[5][6]
Liberal National Party (LNP) candidate Wayde Chiesa won the by-election. It was the first time a sitting Queensland government has gained a seat in a by-election since Mulgrave in 1998.[7]
2024 election results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Katter's Australian | Nick Dametto | 15,351 | 46.42 | +3.88 | |
| Liberal National | Annette Swaine | 9,331 | 28.22 | +3.28 | |
| Labor | Ina Pryor | 4,639 | 14.03 | −5.41 | |
| One Nation | Ric Daubert | 1,523 | 4.60 | −2.52 | |
| Legalise Cannabis | Kevin Wheatley | 1,181 | 3.57 | +3.57 | |
| Greens | Jon Kowski | 1,044 | 3.16 | −0.27 | |
| Total formal votes | 33,069 | 96.57 | +0.02 | ||
| Informal votes | 1,175 | 3.43 | −0.02 | ||
| Turnout | 34,244 | 87.96 | +0.97 | ||
| Two-candidate-preferred result | |||||
| Katter's Australian | Nick Dametto | 20,889 | 63.17 | −1.59 | |
| Liberal National | Annette Swaine | 12,180 | 36.83 | +1.59 | |
| Katter's Australian hold | Swing | −1.59 | |||
Candidates
Candidates are listed in the order they appeared on the ballot.
| Party | Candidate | Background | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal National | Wayde Chiesa | Former RDA North Queensland CEO | |
| Independent | Steven Clare | Former One Nation candidate for Thuringowa (2024) | |
| Labor | Maurie Soars | Former Townsville councillor | |
| Greens | Aiden Creagh | Locomotive driver and baker[9] | |
| Katter's Australian | Mark Molachino | Former deputy mayor of Townsville | |
| Family First | Amanda Nickson | Former candidate for Burdekin (2024) and Dawson (2025) | |
| One Nation | Luke Sleep | Coal miner | |
Katter's Australian
On 8 October 2025, the KAP announced its candidate would be Mark Molachino, a former deputy mayor of Townsville who served as the councillor for Division 4 from 2016 until losing his seat in 2024.[10] Molachino was previously a member of the Labor Party.[10][11] The People First Party has endorsed Molachino.[12]
Dametto resigned from the KAP to contest the mayoral by-election as an independent.[13] He has not endorsed a candidate in the Hinchinbrook by-election, saying "I don't really care if it's Katter that holds that seat afterwards, or the LNP or Labor Party, who knows, independent".[14] However, Dametto confirmed on 21 November 2025 that he would vote for the KAP.[15]
Liberal National
Wayde Chiesa, the former Regional Development Australia (RDA) Townsville and North West Queensland CEO, was preselected as the Liberal National Party (LNP) candidate on 14 October 2025.[16]
Labor
The Labor Party confirmed on 14 October 2025 that it would contest the by-election.[17] On 3 November 2025, it announced former Townsville councillor Maurie Soars would be its candidate.[18]
One Nation
Pauline Hanson's One Nation announced Lisa Buchtmann, a small business owner and former Australian Army truck driver, as its candidate on 15 October 2025.[19] One week later, she withdrew her candidacy because of a personal health matter.[20][21] Coal miner Luke Sleep replaced Buchtmann on 11 November 2025.[22]
Others
The Greens announced Aiden Creagh as its candidate on 8 November 2025.[23]
How-to-vote cards
Candidates can provide how-to-vote cards with recommendations for voters on how to preference other parties. Independent candidate Steven Clare did not submit a how-to-vote card.[24]
The Katter's Australian Party issued two alternative cards, varying in the position of the LNP and Labor.[25] One Nation recommended preferencing the LNP above the KAP; One Nation member and former federal MP George Christensen subsequently supported preferencing the KAP higher.[26]
| Candidate | How-to-vote card (read column top down) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LNP | IND | ALP | GRN | KAP | FFP | ONP | ||
| Liberal National | 1 | N/a | 5 | 4 | 5/6 | 6 | 3 | |
| Steven Clare (Ind.) | 6 | N/a | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| Labor[27] | 5 | N/a | 1 | 2 | 5/6 | 5 | 6 | |
| Greens | 7 | N/a | 3 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 7 | |
| Katter's Australian | 4 | N/a | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 5 | |
| Family First | 2 | N/a | 4 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | |
| One Nation[28] | 3 | N/a | 7 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 1 | |