He was a colourful personality in politics, but the by-election replacing former treasurer Joe Hockey has proved to be a fairly dull and predictable affair.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull congratulated Trent Zimmerman on his widely expected win in this weekend's North Sydney by-election and looks forward to him joining the Liberal party room.
But there was a hefty 13 per cent primary vote swing against the Liberal candidate, which government frontbencher Peter Dutton blamed on the usual voter backlash to a by-election and the losing of a popular local member.
Labor said the government was always going to win the seat, and didn't bother fielding a candidate, but thought it was a disappointing result in the "bluest of blue ribbon seats".
Mr Zimmerman, a former employee of Mr Hockey who served the electorate for two decades, is the first openly gay man to be elected to the House of Representatives.
