# 2024 Ipswich West state by-election

A by-election for the electoral district of Ipswich West in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland was held on 16 March 2024 following the resignation of Labor MP Jim Madden. The by-election was held on the same day as the Inala by-election and the statewide local government elections.
Madden resigned on 26 January 2024 to contest Division 4 of Ipswich City Council at the March local government elections.
Although the seat was considered safe for the Labor Party, Liberal National candidate Darren Zanow won the by-election after a 17.9% two-party-preferred swing.
Following the by-election, Zanow was diagnosed with Microvascular Ischemic Disease, an incurable brain disease, on 16 April 2024 − the day he was formally sworn into parliament. He made his diagnosis public on 12 July and announced he would not contest the 2024 Queensland state election in October.

## Background

The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Labor MP Jim Madden, who had served as a member for Ipswich West since 2015 after he defeated sitting Liberal National MP Sean Choat, the first major party non-Labor MP to represent the seat since Nationals MP Albert Hales (who served between 1974 and 1977).
Madden previously announced that he would not contest the 2024 state election, but resigned whilst still in office shortly after the resignation of former premier and Inala MP Annastacia Palaszczuk.

### Previous election results

2020 Queensland state election: Ipswich West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | Jim Madden | 15,033 | 50.15 | +2.88 |
| | Liberal National | Chris Green | 6,328 | 21.11 | +4.57 |
| | One Nation | Gary Duffy | 4,412 | 14.72 | −13.44 |
| | Greens | Raven Wolf | 1,957 | 6.53 | −1.50 |
| | Legalise Cannabis | Anthony Hopkins | 1,361 | 4.54 | +4.54 |
| | Civil Liberties & Motorists | Clem Grieger | 565 | 1.88 | +1.88 |
| | Independent | Karakan Kochardy | 321 | 1.07 | +1.07 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 29,977 | 95.99 | +0.73 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 1,252 | 4.01 | −0.73 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 31,229 | 86.76 | −2.08 |
| Two-party-preferred result ||||||
| | Labor | Jim Madden | 19,289 | 64.35 | +2.70 |
| | Liberal National | Chris Green | 10,688 | 35.65 | −2.70 |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | +2.70 | |

## Candidates

| Party | Candidate | Background |
| Legalise Cannabis | Melody Lindsay | |
| Liberal National | Darren Zanow | Businessman in the construction industry |
| One Nation | Mark Bone | |
| Labor | Wendy Bourne | Former president of the Rosewood & District Kindergarten and member of the party's right faction. |

## Results

2024 Ipswich West state by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal National | Darren Zanow | 11,676 | 39.53 | +18.42 |
| | Labor | Wendy Bourne | 10,349 | 35.04 | −15.11 |
| | Legalise Cannabis | Melody Lindsay | 4,302 | 14.57 | +10.03 |
| | One Nation | Mark Bone | 3,206 | 10.86 | −3.86 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 29,533 | 93.52 | −2.47 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 2,046 | 6.48 | +2.47 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 31,579 | 80.69 | −6.07 |
| Two-party-preferred result ||||||
| | Liberal National | Darren Zanow | 15,801 | 53.50 | +17.85 |
| | Labor | Wendy Bourne | 13,732 | 46.50 | −17.85 |
| | Liberal National gain from Labor | Liberal National gain from Labor | Swing | +17.85 | |