The election result may be in doubt federally, but voters in the central Victorian seats of McEwen and Bendigo were clear in their assessment of their candidates on Saturday.
Claims that the Victorian CFA dispute would threaten Labor’s hold largely failed to materialise locally, with incumbent MPs Rob Mitchell and Lisa Chesters attracting swings of 8.32 and 2.52 per cent respectively.
Both of the previously marginal electorates were declared before 9pm.
Ms Chesters, who was greeted by loud cheers as she claimed victory at Bendigo’s Trades Hall, said the win meant it was 20 years since the Liberal Party had held the seat.
“The Liberals tried to politicise the CFA, they tried to divide our community,” she said.
“They tried to say this seat was in play because of the CFA issue and they were wrong.”
Ms Chesters said Bendigo voters were ‘‘people who stand up for a fair go”.
“We are people in this electorate who don’t want to see vulnerable people left behind,” she said.
“What gave us the big swing tonight was the fact that people want a government that’s going to stand up for Medicare, that’s going to make sure our schools get decent funding and that’s going to make sure we all have a job, a job we can count on.”
Ms Chesters secured 53.78 per cent of the two-party vote, although Liberal candidate Megan Purcell picked up swings at some polling booths, including Kyneton, Kyneton East, Macedon, Malmsbury, Mount Macedon and Woodend.
In a social media post on Sunday, Ms Purcell said she was proud to have run an “efficient, clean and positive campaign”.
“My election commitments will be delivered and my promises kept,” she said.
Having previously held the seat by a few hundred votes, Mr Mitchell stormed to victory in McEwen, attracting 58.47 per cent of the two-party vote to embattled Liberal candidate Chris Jermyn’s 41.53.
Mr Jermyn was firmly in the national media spotlight after standing outside Sunbury Community Health on May 28 with signs while Opposition Leader Bill Shorten committed $2 million for a new child health hub but was unable to articulate his party’s Medicare policy.
Then large signs above his Sunbury campaign office had to be pulled down after it was revealed they did not meet Hume council bylaws.
Concerns were also raised about his involvement in a media development company, which has lost millions of dollars.
