LNP's Wayde Chiesa promises to get to work after victory in Hinchinbrook by-election

The Crisafulli government has claimed Hinchinbrook from Katter's Australian Party (KAP) following a campaign that included promises to crack down on offenders out on bail.  

But residents of the north Queensland electorate say they want the incoming state MP to waste no time tackling the cost of living, traffic congestion and a lack of affordable housing. 

At last count on Sunday, the LNP's Wayde Chiesa led with more than 41 per cent of the primary vote, ahead of KAP candidate Mark Molachino at 30 per cent. 

The ABC is projecting a swing toward the government of more than 16 per cent, demolishing the hefty margin that previously kept the seat safe for the minor party. 

The Hinchinbrook electorate spans about 6,500 square kilometres, and includes Premier David Crisafulli's home town of Ingham. 

Traffic and housing among priorities

Resident Roy Johnson said the result was great for the region.  

"I think it's fantastic, because we've now got a guy who is a doer," he said.

"He's got the contacts, he's got the enthusiasm."

Mr Johnson said he wanted work done to ease traffic congestion in the electorate.

"I think the priorities are actually not in Ingham, but down the road in Townsville," he said.

"The traffic down there is horrendous, I think that should be his first priority." 

Roberta Lightning said she hoped the new MP would focus on housing issues.

"There's families with three or four children and they're still waiting for housing," she said.

"I'm seeing young mothers coming in, they've got children, they're finding it hard to get cheap housing."

Jenny Morris said pensioners were struggling.

"There's a lot of people really battling, like I'm a pensioner and I'm battling," she said.

"Housing, the food cost, it's going up all the time.

"That really hits a lot of us in the back pocket."

'Pretty battered' 

KAP leader and member for Traeger Robbie Katter said he was disappointed.

"[I'm feeling] pretty battered, obviously you're always aiming to win," he said. 

The race for the seat saw a heated campaign between parties, with the by-election tipped to be a temperature test of the first-term LNP government. 

"It was a testimony to the resources of the great major parties that can fly an army of volunteers up," Mr Katter said.

Despite the results, the KAP leader said the party still had a strong future in Queensland politics and flagged expanding further into the state in the future. 

"Numerically it's not a great outcome but I think there's a really good future for us in Queensland politics," he said. 

"We're certainly not going anywhere.

"Bearing in mind, we've only ever focused on north Queensland, I think there's a time for us to go a bit broader."

Work and deliver

Mr Chiesa, an accountant and longtime footy caller, said he was ready to work and deliver. 

During the campaign, Mr Chiesa called for children to face mandatory jail time if they breached bail. 

The premier has stopped short of committing to the reforms, but on Sunday has said there would be further changes to the Youth Justice Act. 

Mr Chiesa said he was ready to get on with the job. 

"I intend to work hard and deliver for a community I love," he said.  

"Last night being able to see family and friends and walk into Lees Hotel with the premier, who I've known for years, was a pretty special moment.” 

Premier: 'Dawn of new era'

Premier Crisafulli said the result was a new opportunity for the region. 

"This is a dawn of a new era for north Queensland," he said.

Mr Crisafulli grew up in Ingham alongside Mr Chiesa.

"I'm asked whether or not this is personal; of course it's personal," Mr Crisafulli said.  

"The magnitude of Wayde's win is historic … and I think that reflects how hard he's worked." 

The by-election was triggered by the resignation of former KAP MP Nick Dametto, who stepped down from the state seat in what would be a successful bid to be mayor of Townsville.  

That race followed the earlier resignation of former suspended mayor Troy Thompson, who the Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission found had lied about his military service, health and education.

"Hinchinbrook finally has a seat at the table," Mr Crisafulli said.  

"It's going to be represented by someone I know will do a really fine job for a part of the world that means a hell of a lot to us.

"You've got a council that can now put a mess behind it; you've got an area with a seat at the government table.  

"We have no intention of wasting that opportunity." 

Opposition to focus on crime

Opposition leader Steven Miles said while not dismissing the historically low vote for Labor, Hinchinbrook was not a seat representative of the wider state. 

"What we've seen there is with the departure of the popular Katter's Australia Party candidate Nick Dametto, the LNP's vote returned closer to its historical average, and in a contest where voters were largely choosing between the LNP and the Katter's Australia Party,  the deal the LNP did with One Nation has delivered them that seat."

He conceded the former Labor government had "made mistakes" when it came to crime, flagging it as a key focus for the party in the future.