Liberal candidate Anthony Marsh announced his victory as the vote count drew to a close. Read our live updates from the night.
Two disputed episodes have exposed the organisational dysfunction and internal tensions within the fast-growing,far-right political party as it seeks to secure its first lower house seat in Victoria at next month’s Nepean byelection.
Voters on the Mornington Peninsula are preparing for their first of two visits to the polls in seven months,in what looms as a complicated three-way race.
“People don’t see themselves any more being reflected in the candidates or MPs being put up by the major parties,” says Tracee Hutchison.
Whittlesea Mayor Aidan McLindon,a former Freedom Party candidate,called a press conference outside state parliament to fiercely deny the allegations.
No candidate was able to secure 30 per cent of primary votes in the byelection. It’s a warning sign for Labor and the Liberals of what experts tip will happen more and more.
School teacher and CFA volunteer John Lister says the message from Werribee voters has been heard “loud and clear”.
Latest counting has extended school teacher John Lister’s lead in the formerly safe Labor seat despite a huge swing against the Allan government.
There is limited room in the state budget to respond to voter frustrations in the west after Labor’s primary vote collapsed 16.7 per cent in the Werribee byelection.
The count in a seat the Liberal Party has not held for 46 years has upended the established order of Victorian politics and delivered a potent message to the Allan government.