2025 Hinchinbrook state by-election

2025 Hinchinbrook state by-election

←  2024 29 November 2025 2028  →
Electoral district of Hinchinbrook in the Queensland Legislative Assembly
Registered	39,818
First party Second party   Candidate Wayde Chiesa Mark Molachino Party Liberal National Katter's Australian Primary  vote 11,989 8,715 Percentage 41.46% 30.14% Swing 13.24pp 16.28pp TCP 53.8% 46.2%   Third party Fourth party   Candidate Luke Sleep Maurie Soars Party One Nation Labor Primary  vote 3,863 2,395 Percentage 13.36% 8.28% Swing 8.76pp 5.75pp
MP before election Nick Dametto Katter's Australian Elected MP Wayde Chiesa Liberal National

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]

Background

See also: Electoral results for the district of Hinchinbrook

2024 election results

This section is an excerpt from Results of the 2024 Queensland state election § Hinchinbrook.[ edit ]

2024 Queensland state election: Hinchinbrook ^[8]

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 will appear 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	—	5	4	5/6	6	3
	Steven Clare (Ind.)	6	—	6	5	4	4	4
	Labor [27]	5	—	1	2	5/6	5	6
	Greens	7	—	3	1	7	7	7
	Katter's Australian	4	—	2	3	1	2	5
	Family First	2	—	4	6	3	1	2
	One Nation [28]	3	—	7	7	2	3	1

Results

2025 Hinchinbrook state by-election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal National	Wayde Chiesa	11,771	41.4	+13.2
	Katter's Australian	Mark Molachino	8,569	30.1	–16.3
	One Nation	Luke Sleep	3,834	13.5	+8.9
	Labor	Maurie Soars	2,356	8.3	–5.8
	Greens	Aiden Creagh	980	3.4	+0.5
	Family First	Amanda Nickson	620	2.2	+2.2
	Independent	Steven Clare	323	1.1	+1.1
Total formal votes			28,069	96.0	–0.6
Informal votes			1,169	4.0	+0.6
Turnout
Two-candidate-preferred result
	Liberal National	Wayde Chiesa	15,340	53.79	+16.96
	Katter's Australian	Mark Molachino	13,177	46.21	–16.96
	Liberal National gain from Katter's Australian		Swing	+16.96

Results are not final. Last updated at 22:36 AEST on 29 November 2025.

By polling place

Polling place	Primary vote							2CP vote
	LNP	KAP	ONP	ALP	GRN	FFP	IND	LNP	KAP
Bluewater
Burdell
Burdell North
Cardwell
Deeragun
Forrest Beach
Halifax
Ingham
Kennedy
Long Pocket
Lower Tully
Lucinda
Macknade
Murray Upper
Northern Beaches
Rollingstone
Rupertswood
Toobanna
Trebonne
Victoria Estate
Deeragun (early)
Declaration votes (in-person)
Declaration votes (early)
Mobile polling
Telephone voting
Telephone voting (early)

See also

• 2025 Townsville mayoral by-election

References

1. Raue, Ben (2 October 2025). "Hinchinbrook by-election incoming". The Tally Room. Archived from the original on 9 October 2025. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
2. McGuire, Nikita (3 November 2025). "Crisafulli announces Hinchinbrook by-election date alongside party's candidate". The Courier Mail. Archived from the original on 3 November 2025. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
3. Charles, Caitlan; Singh Mann, Arun; Mercer, Josh (26 September 2025). "Townsville mayor race heats up as suspended Thompson plans comeback". Townsville Bulletin. Archived from the original on 26 September 2025. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
4. McKay, Jack (19 October 2025). "North Queensland by-election to provide snapshot of state's politics a year on from LNP victory". ABC News. Archived from the original on 20 October 2025. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
5. Loney, Georgia; Dansie, Meghan (26 September 2025). "Queensland MP to run in Townsville council by-election following mayor's resignation". ABC News. Archived from the original on 26 September 2025. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
6. Fellows, Taylah (26 September 2025). "Embattled Townsville Mayor Troy Thompson resigns, following an 18-month saga". The Courier Mail. Archived from the original on 26 September 2025. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
7. "Comments on the Hinchinbrook By-election Result". Antony Green's Election Blog. 1 December 2025. Archived from the original on 1 December 2025. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
8. "Hinchinbrook – QLD Electorate, Candidates, Results". abc.net.au. 30 November 2024. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
9. "For those who don't know me, I'm Aiden Creagh, your Greens candidate — and yes, it surprised me too!". Facebook. Tablelands and Northern Queensland Greens. 18 November 2025. Archived from the original on 19 November 2025. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
10. McGuire, Nikita (8 October 2025). "Mark Molachino announces Katter's Australian Party candidacy for Hinchinbrook by-election". Townsville Bulletin. Archived from the original on 9 October 2025. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
11. "MARK RAYMOND MOLACHINO". Electoral Commission of Queensland. 14 February 2024. Archived from the original on 9 October 2025. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
12. Rennick, Gerard [@RennickGBR] (19 November 2025). "One Nation have betrayed Queenslanders by preferencing the Liberals in front of the Katter Party in a by-election for the state seat of Hinchinbrook on 29th November that is currently held by the Katter Party" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 19 November 2025. Retrieved 19 November 2025– via Twitter.
13. Davis, William; Strohfeldt, Catherine; Hall, James (26 September 2025). "Bid to boost power in Katter Country revealed in mayoral race". Brisbane Times. Archived from the original on 26 September 2025. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
14. Burns, Chris (6 October 2025). "KAP courts Townsville's former deputy mayor Mark Molachino for Hinchinbrook". The Courier Mail. Archived from the original on 6 October 2025. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
15. Johnson, Hayden (21 November 2025). "Premier's high-stakes battle to win back Hinchinbrook from Katter's Australian Party". The Courier Mail. Archived from the original on 21 November 2025. Retrieved 21 November 2025.
16. Bates, Cameron (15 October 2025). "Wayde Chiesa, former North Queensland RDA CEO named LNP by-election candidate for Hinchinbrook". Townsville Bulletin. Archived from the original on 15 October 2025. Retrieved 15 October 2025.
17. Scott, Mackenzie (14 October 2025). "Labor bows to pressure on Hinchinbrook contest". The Australian. Archived from the original on 14 October 2025. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
18. Bates, Cameron (3 November 2025). "Maurie Soars Labor candidate for Hinchinbrook by-election". Townsville Bulletin. Archived from the original on 3 November 2025. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
19. "Lisa Buchtmann to stand for One Nation in Hinchinbrook". Pauline Hanson's One Nation. 15 October 2025. Archived from the original on 15 October 2025. Retrieved 15 October 2025.
20. "WHO WILL BE THE NEXT MEMBER FOR HINCHINBROOK?". Hinchinbrook Life. 23 October 2025. Archived from the original on 24 October 2025. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
21. "Lisa Buchtmann exits Hinchinbrook by-election for One Nation". Herald Sun. 22 October 2025. Archived from the original on 23 October 2025. Retrieved 23 October 2025.
22. "Luke Sleep to stand for One Nation in Hinchinbrook". Pauline Hanson's One Nation. 11 November 2025. Archived from the original on 11 November 2025. Retrieved 11 November 2025.
23. "HINCHINBROOK BY-ELECTION ANNOUNCEMENT". Facebook. Tablelands and Northern Queensland Greens. 8 November 2025. Archived from the original on 9 November 2025. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
24. "2025 Hinchinbrook state by-election candidate information". Electoral Commission of Queensland. 29 November 2025. Archived from the original on 29 November 2025. Retrieved 29 November 2025.
25. "VOTE 1". Facebook. Mark Molachino - KAP Hinchinbrook. 14 November 2025. Archived from the original on 19 November 2025. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
26. "To my ONE NATION friends in Hinchinbrook: PREFERENCE Katter's Australian Party before the LNP". Facebook. George Christensen. 19 November 2025. Archived from the original on 19 November 2025. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
27. "How to vote Labor". Queensland Labor Party. Archived from the original on 30 November 2025. Retrieved 30 November 2025.
28. "Early voting is now open in Hinchinbrook". One Nation Queensland. 19 November 2025. Archived from the original on 29 November 2025. Retrieved 29 November 2025.