Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has reaffirmed his government's commitment to easing the cost of living in the wake of the Liberal National Party's victory in the Fadden by-election.
High-profile ex-Gold Coast City councillor Cameron Caldwell won the federal seat for the LNP on Saturday against a field of 12 candidates including Labor's Letitia Del Fabbro.
The swing to the LNP on a two-party preferred basis was 2.4 per cent, making it an even safer coalition seat, according to Australian Electoral Commission data.
But Mr Marles said the win was a "lethargic" result for Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.
"We really have been focused on the cost of living since the moment that we came to government," he told Sky News on Sunday.
"The idea that Peter Dutton as a Queenslander, who is leading the Liberal Party, would take any comfort out of this result at all, frankly, is ridiculous."
Mr Marles denied Labor had a problem with Queensland voters, describing the state as a place of "significant opportunity".
Mr Caldwell will replace former Turnbull and Morrison government minister Stuart Robert who resigned from federal parliament in April this year.
The incoming MP fought off a tough campaign by Labor, which had highlighted Mr Robert's involvement in the robodebt scandal that engulfed the previous coalition federal government.
Robodebt is the name given to an unlawful debt recovery program that saddled almost half a million welfare recipients with hundreds of millions of dollars in false Centrelink debts between 2015 and 2019.
A royal commission investigation into the scheme released earlier this month laid the blame at the feet of senior public servants and coalition ministers including Mr Robert, Scott Morrison, Alan Tudge and Christian Porter.
But Mr Caldwell said the main issue for voters in the by-election was the rising cost of living.
"We are a party that must return to government in order to restore the faith that Australians have in government keeping their promises," he said in his victory speech alongside his wife, Lauren, on Saturday night.
Mr Dutton said Mr Caldwell would be an exceptional member of the federal parliament.
"He's worked tirelessly for this community for over a dozen years, he's accomplished in law in small business, he's worked hard for his local community, and he will continue that work as the federal member for Fadden," he said.
In her concession speech, Ms Del Fabbro said it was still a "bloody good result" for Labor.
"As you know, we knew this would be an uphill battle, so I guess it has always been an important message to the LNP to not take the Gold Coast for granted," she said in her concession speech.
Labor has won Fadden only once - in 1983 upon the election of the Hawke government.
Ms Del Fabbro, who was contesting the seat for the second time, was credited with whittling down Mr Robert's margin from 11.2 per cent to 10.6 per cent at the 2019 federal election.
