LNP Claims Victory in Hinchinbrook By-Election Amidst Heated Campaign
Townsville, โคQLD – The Liberal national โคParty (LNP) has declared victory in the โHinchinbrook by-election, marking โa important โwin for the first-termโ government in a contest marred by escalating tensions and accusations. The result, finalized Saturday, sees the LNP successfully defend the seat previously held by Andrew Cripps, who resigned in March.
The by-election was closely โขwatched as a test of Premier David Crisafulli’s leadership and the LNP’s popularity, โparticularly in a traditionally Labor-leaning electorate.While the outcome won’t alter the balance โof power in state parliamentโ wereโ the LNPโ holds a โขagreeable majority,โฃ the win is being touted as a demonstration of theโฃ government’s โstrength and aโข rebukeโค ofโ the opposition.
Labor candidate Maurie Soars, aโค former โฃTownsville councillor who served alongside independant candidate Markโข Molachino, faced an uphill battle โinโ a seat where the ALP securedโค only 14 per cent of โfirst preference votes at the 2023 state election. The campaign became increasingly fraught, with both sides engaging in โaggressive โtactics.
The LNP released a video lastโ week showingโค soars in a heated โขexchange โwith a Liberal staffer in Deeragun. โMeanwhile,the Katter’s Australian Party โ(KAP) threatened legal action against Premierโ Crisafulli over comments comparing Molachino to Troy Thompson,a disgraced โformer mayor.
Almost half of the expected ballots were cast early, accordingโ to the โคQueensland โฃElectoral Commission, indicating โขhigh voter engagement. The result underscores the intense focus on the traditionally safe LNP seat and signals a potentially shifting political landscape in regional โฃQueensland.