Election Results - Labor, Labor and Clover

Iemma and his Labor party staid of threatening attacks from the media and state infrastructure critics to win 52 seats, a minor -3.2% swing against incumbents. The Liberals were the stand out performers, not that their + 2.1 % swing and 20 seat result was a miraculous effort. More so that it was the first swing away from Labor since 1988. The Greens could only manage a +0.5 % swing in their favour, winning no seats but ending up with 8.8 % of the total primary vote.

In the electoral domain of the SSH, winners were grinners on the Saturday night of the election, with the three candidates forecast to win by the SSH all claiming victory.

Kristina Keneally returned for her second sitting in the Heffron seat with a significant yet predictable 24.2 % win over the Liberals and the Greens. Both of the latter recorded positive swings in part due to the absence of competing parties. Special mention must be made however of the Greens’ Ben Spies-Butcher for a hard-earned 6.0% swing in his favour.

The seat of Marrickville was always going to be close following a tough 2005 Bi-election win for Labor. Consistent with voting outcomes for the night, Marrickville voters baulked at change. Labor’s Tebbutt improved on her previous 10.2% winning margin adding a further 5%, despite a +4.0 % swing in favour of the Greens’ Fiona Byrne.

Of the performance Carmel said from her celebrations at the Royal Exchange Hotel in Marrickville, “We are very happy with the result, and the fact that we improved on 2005 is a real endorsement of our efforts in the electorate”.

Tebbutt announced after the elections that she had relinquished the Education Minister portfolio to spend more time with her family. While not ruling out a comeback to the frontbench, the Marrickville MP said she was cognisant the opportunity may not arise again.

Clover Moore will celebrate her twentieth year in the seat of Sydney next year, formerly the seat of Bligh. Moore further added to her dominance in the seat, with a 2.5 % swing in her favour, recording more than 40 % of the primary vote. This is the first time she has hit punched above 40% since 1991. The Liberal party’s Edward Mandla faired second best with 20.6%, marginally in front of Labor’s Linda Scott (19.9%).

Clover greeted her party faithful at Friscos in Woolloomooloo, thanking both Council and MP staff and supporters present. “It’s such a fantastic victory,” said Moore. “We have fabulous opportunities ahead of us and we are going to look to make the most of them.”   SSH

Source: South Sydney Herald April 2007 – www.southsydneyherald.com.au