A swing of close to 10 per cent towards the Liberal party has not
stopped Joanne Ryan from retaining the seat of Lalor for the Australian
Labor Party.
Ms Ryan, who became Labor’s candidate for the safe seat after
former prime minister Julia Gillard announced her retirement from
politics, secured 45.84 per cent of the primary vote.
The result was an 18 per cent drop in primary votes for Labor from
the last election. Ms Ryan attributed the decrease to Ms Gillard’s
departure and the rise of minor parties.
Labor was on the wrong side of a two-party preferred swing of
10.06 per cent, one of the largest shifts towards the Liberal party in
the state.
Ms Ryan said she was “humbled” to be representing a community she loved.
“It is an enormous privilege,’’ she said. ‘‘I will continue
Labor’s tradition of fighting for the people in Lalor. I come from an
activist background, so that is how I will approach the work.”
Ms Gillard was one of the first people to congratulate Ms Ryan on her win.
“She’ll be a strong and articulate voice for a proud community we both love,” Ms Gillard tweeted on Saturday night.
Liberal candidate Nihal Samara secured 29 per cent of the primary vote and 37 per cent of two-party preferred votes.
The Greens’ Beck Sheffield-Brotherton was next with 5.84 per cent
primary, followed by Palmer United Party’s Joe Zappia (5.78 per cent).
Stable Population Party’s Jonathan Page polled the lowest, securing
0.37 per cent (303 votes).
