ANDREW Cripps has made an announcement online after it was determined he had not been re-elected as the member for the Hinchinbrook electorate.
Nick Dametto, the KAP candidate, has claimed victory in the seat.
Mr Dametto had three-and-a-half weeks between deciding to run for Hinchinbrook and the moment polling opened, but the Katter's Australia Party candidate has today claimed victory.
Mr Dametto, who owns Townsville Water Sports, said it was a sign of the times that people were "happy to walk away from the career politician at the moment".
He claimed the seat previously held by the LNP's Andrew Cripps, who issued a statement on Facebook today slamming compulsory preferential voting - saying the change came with no consultation.
"... Some of these people are angry that they were forced to allocate preferences at a state election for the first time in more than 25 years, thanks to Labor and the Katter Party," he wrote.
"On 21 April 2016, the Palaszczuk Labor Government, supported by the Katter Party, voted to reintroduce compulsory preferential voting for state elections in Queensland.
"Labor and the Katter Party consulted no-one on this change. Now a Katter Party candidate - who came third – has been elected in the Hinchinbrook electorate on Labor preferences."
However Mr Dametto responded to Mr Cripps' claims by stating that the previous MP had failed to adapt.
"Andrew has put a thing up on his Facebook page - buy me a box of Kleenex, you know," Mr Dametto said.
"The game changed on him and he didn't adapt. He didn't read the play and he didn't make the right decisions."
"I can't believe it - after yesterday at the start of the day it was all over the shop with how the preference votes were coming in, and then we finally got in front of One Nation and could wipe the sweat off our brow and this morning as the One Nation preferences were coming in it was 75pc our way, it just turned into a whitewash," he said.
"I'm a little bit shellshocked at the moment. I'm excited, I can't wait to start - can't wait to learn."
Mr Cripps’ statement in full:
“The result of the election held on 25 November 2017 for the Hinchinbrook electorate has now been determined. I have not been re-elected as the Member for Hinchinbrook.
The period since 25 November has been difficult. The drawn-out counting process was a result of votes being received until 5 December and preferences being fully distributed.
I would like to thank all of those people in the Hinchinbrook electorate who supported me. I extend a heartfelt gratitude to those volunteers who assisted me with my local campaign.
In particular, I want to acknowledge the unwavering support and love of my family during the campaign and the entire period I have served as the Member for Hinchinbrook.
I consider the time I have been fortunate enough to represent the people of the Hinchinbrook electorate in the Queensland Parliament to be a great honour and a wonderful privilege.
I leave this role knowing that I served to the best of my ability and judgement, represented the Hinchinbrook electorate faithfully and was beholden to nobody in doing so.
This state election was contested on new and very different boundaries for the Hinchinbrook electorate and it is the first since 1989 to be subject to compulsory preferential voting.
Since 25 November, a large number of people in the Hinchinbrook electorate have contacted me, confused about the projected results indicating the Katter Party would win the seat.
Their confusion is understandable, given that as the LNP candidate, I secured 2,200 more primary votes than One Nation and 2,500 more primary votes than the Katter Party.
Some of these people are angry that they were forced to allocate preferences at a state election for the first time in more than 25 years, thanks to Labor and the Katter Party.
On 21 April 2016, the Palaszczuk Labor Government, supported by the Katter Party, voted to reintroduce compulsory preferential voting for state elections in Queensland.
Labor and the Katter Party consulted no-one on this change. Now a Katter Party candidate - who came 3rd – has been elected in the Hinchinbrook electorate on Labor preferences.
I do not intend to make further public comment on this matter. Thank you and good luck.
Andrew Cripps
LNP Candidate for Hinchinbrook.”