The ABC projects Lisa Chesters has clung to the Victorian seat for the government after recording the largest swing against the party.
The ABC is projecting Ms Chesters will hold the seat for a fifth term despite a significant swing towards Nationals candidate Andrew Lethlean . The central Victorian seat, in Labor's hands since 1998, has been on a knife's edge since the Albanese government's landslide victory on Saturday night.
ABC election analyst Antony Green said vote counting had finally made it clear Labor had retained the seat. "After preferences, there is a swing of 10 per cent against Labor — the largest in the country," Mr Green said. Ms Chesters polled 33.9 per cent of the primary vote to Mr Lethlean's 30.4 per cent, with Liberal candidate Matt Evans on 10.2 per cent.Live vote counts have swung wildly between the two candidates since polls closed.A pre-election boundary redistribution trimmed Labor’s notional margin from 12 to 11.2 per cent, making the seat slightly more Nationals-friendly. Despite encompassing Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan’s state electorate and long considered a safe Labor seat, Bendigo hung in the balance due to a rebounding Nationals vote.Much of that momentum was credited to first-time candidate and local publican Andrew Lethlean, whose team's spending power and high visibility struck a chord with voters.The result in Bendigo shocked political analysts who predicted Labor would easily retain the seat."Statistically, something really unusual is going to happen once or twice in an election," he said.Mr Robinson said it also highlighted growing support for the Nationals in regional Victoria.Ms Chesters criticised the campaign as “nasty” and funded by a “tidal wave” of money."I don't think it makes an enormous amount of difference ... you really can't be complacent anywhere," he said.Photo shows Anthony Albanese with two fists in the air.Photo shows A Philippine Navy AW159 helicopter with the the HMAS Sydney in the background.Photo shows Andrew Lethlean addressing media with Nationals leader David Littleproud and senator Bridget McKenzie standing behind him.Photo shows A composite photo of a brunette woman, brown haired man with glasses, blonde woman with glasses and dark haired man.Photo shows Anthony Albanese with two fists in the air.
Nationals Election Andrew Lethlean Lisa Chesters Labor Party Who Won Bendigo Winner Called
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