AFTER an exhaustive eight-week campaign, Dave Kerrigan was savouring this drink.

The Labor candidate for Maranoa, a rugby league coach and sheep shearer, said he would happy to be back at home with his wife and dogs following his 40,000km journey across the massive electorate.

Mr Kerrigan finished second on first preferences, with his party enjoying a 6% swing in Maranoa on a two-party-preferred basis.

He also won nearly 45% of first-preferences in his home-town of Barcaldine, one of the few polling stations where Labor gained ground.

Having taken a bite out of the LNP’s dominance in the seat, Mr Kerrigan said he wanted both major parties to pay closer attention to rural and regional Queensland.

“There needs to be a decent investment from Texas right through to Birdsville from Labor,” he said.

“A lot of the electorate is disillusioned that there were plenty of missed opportunities for investment in Maranoa.

“(Labor) have changed direction by picking me as the candidate, but it will take more than one election on one level of government.

“If the Federal Government doesn’t look to our regions, they will lose support.”

Despite finishing second, Mr Kerrigan had to fight off strong numbers for One Nation candidate Lynette Keehn, who polled more than 18% of first preferences in the seat.

He said One Nation’s figures were more a protest vote against the major parties rather than a statement of support for One Nation and its leader Pauline Hanson.

“There are a lot of angry people in Maranoa and Pauline Hanson has been saying different things to what the two majors have been saying,” he said.

“They voted against both major parties by voting for her.”