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.
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. Under Queensland law, candidates running for local government positions cannot be a member of a state or federal parliament.
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.
Candidates are listed in the order they appeared on the ballot.
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. Molachino was previously a member of the Labor Party. The People First Party has endorsed Molachino.
Dametto resigned from the KAP to contest the mayoral by-election as an independent. 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". However, Dametto confirmed on 21 November 2025 that he would vote for the KAP.
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.
The Labor Party confirmed on 14 October 2025 that it would contest the by-election. On 3 November 2025, it announced former Townsville councillor Maurie Soars would be its candidate.
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. One week later, she withdrew her candidacy because of a personal health matter. Coal miner Luke Sleep replaced Buchtmann on 11 November 2025.
The Greens announced Aiden Creagh as its candidate on 8 November 2025.
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.
The Katter's Australian Party issued two alternative cards, varying in the position of the LNP and Labor. One Nation recommended preferencing the LNP above the KAP; One Nation member and former federal MP George Christensen subsequently supported preferencing the KAP higher.