Election coverage in Geelong 2022
A Western Victorian Liberal MP has confirmed she will run again at the state election amid rumours surrounding Stephanie Asher’s next step.
Geelong
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Western Victorian MP Beverley McArthur has confirmed she intends to contest the next state election as a member of the Liberal Party.
It comes amid rumours Stephanie Asher, who lost her bid to be become the federal member for Corangamite, is being encouraged to nominate for preselection.
Ms Asher did not respond to request for comment from the Geelong Advertiser.
Ms McArthur said: “I’m happy to confirm that I intend to contest the next election as a member of the Liberal Party, and to fight for the great privilege and important responsibility of representing Western Victoria in the Legislative Council”.
It has also been reported that former MP Joshua Morris could also run for preselection alongside a number of other Ballarat councillors.
Prior to her unsuccessful tilt at Corangamite as a Liberal, Ms Asher ran as an independent candidate for the federal seat of Corio, then via two stints as Geelong’s mayor.
No word on Asher’s return to top council job
Geelong’s mayor has failed to answer questions on when she will return to City Hall, after taking an almost five month leave of absence to unsuccessfully contest the federal election for the Liberal Party.
But, it isn’t all bad news for Bellarine Ward councillor Stephanie Asher following her failed tilt at federal politics, with the mayor’s salary jumping 20 per cent to almost $120,000 during her absence.
Cr Stephanie Asher did not respond to the Geelong Advertiser’s request for comment on her plans for returning to council on Monday, with her approved leave of absence ending on May 31.
Media at Cr Asher’s election function on Saturday night were also told she would not answer questions after delivering her concession speech.
Cr Asher had contested the election for Liberal Party in the seat of Corangamite, where she experienced a nine per cent swing against the Liberal Party in first preference votes, ultimately receiving just 41.27 per cent of the Two Candidate Preferred (TCP) vote.
Labor’s Libby Coker retained the seat with 58.73 per cent of the TCP vote, and 39.18 per cent of first preference votes – with the Greens candidate Alex Marshall grabbing more than 15 per cent of first preference votes.
Cr Asher announced her leave of absence from the City of Greater Geelong council on January 14 to contest the election, with the absence period ending on May 31.
Cr Asher said she would only resign from the council if elected into parliament, and would retain her mayoral position if unsuccessful.
The sting of an election loss may be dulled by a pay rise received during Cr Asher’s absence, with the Geelong mayor’s pay packet boosted by almost 20 per cent to $119,316 during her absence.
The pay rise came after the Victorian Independent Remuneration Tribunal (VIRT) in March determined new base allowances for councillors, mayors and deputy mayors across the state, backdated to December 2021.
Geelong councillors base allowance rose by 14.4 per cent to $35,972, with Geelong’s deputy mayor salary moving from $31,444 to $59,658 – an 89.7 per cent jump.
Cr Asher had elected not to receive her mayoral allowance while on leave, nor use her mayoral vehicle nor claim expenses.
– Harrison Tippet
The numbers behind Labor’s Geelong resounding win
The rejection of what the Liberals were offering at the ballot box – particularly in pockets of Geelong where support is usually counted on – and an uprising in the Green vote have combined to increase Labor’s stranglehold on the region.
Internally, Labor saw the result in Corangamite coming. The contest on election night was over three hours after vote counting started.
The scale of the win, and a second term in federal parliament, for Labor’s Libby Coker should not be discounted. It was a stunning result in trying circumstances.
Held on a wafer-thin margin of 1.1 per cent going into the election, Ms Coker was determined through her campaign to offer a better future for Australia and for the people of her electorate.
Consumed with emotion at Labor’s election function at the weekend, her outward appearance reflected the toil needed to retain her seat. She now wants to channel that emotion into bringing care and compassion back to government.
The strength of the Liberal campaign in Corangamite was always going to be the extent to which it could translate Stephanie Asher’s popularity on the Bellarine into other corners of the electorate.
Ms Coker’s win, and the gap between the victorious and the vanquished, was most stark in the coastal towns.
Ms Asher was unable to get a majority at voting booths in Ocean Grove, Point Lonsdale, Portarlington and Barwon Heads. Added to this is the rise in the Green vote in Corangamite, where the party gained about 2500 more first-preference votes at Saturday’s election than it did in 2019.
The Australian Electoral Commission reports a 6.6 per cent rise in the Greens vote at Saturday’s election.
The unknown heading into the election campaign was how the thousands of people who have moved to Armstrong Creek and Mount Duneed would vote.
At Armstrong Creek, Ms Coker’ two-candidate preferred vote was twice that of Ms Asher’s and her winning margin at Mount Duneed was about 400 two-candidate preferred votes.
At some booths in Corio, the Liberal Party did not bother sending volunteers to hand out how-to-vote cards. In the end it showed in the result.
Richard Marles won the two-candidate preferred vote about 64-36 but the AEC reports on first-preference votes he weathered a swing of 4.76 per cent against him.
The federal election result in Victoria that has sent the Liberals into oblivion does not bode well for the state election that is less than six months away.
But, conversely, on a national level, Labor’s primary vote is the lowest it has been since early last century.
Among supporters at Labor’s Geelong election function at the weekend there was a sense of optimism in the air. That Anthony Albanese, the Aussie with an Italian heritage who grew up in public housing, could deliver for the country.
He will now have three years to do just that.
An inside look at Labor’s Geelong win
Commanding margins at voting booths that have previously favoured the Liberals has delivered Corangamite Labor MP Libby Coker to another three-year term in federal parliament.
Voting data from the Australian Electoral Commission lifts the lid on Ms Coker’s resounding win, and success over Liberal Stephanie Asher at Armstrong Creek East (1321, 582); Torquay pre polling (8,588, 5,645); and Leopold LINC stadium (1,666, 1,116).
Even polling places the Liberal faithful were banking on delivering for Ms Asher turned toward Ms Coker including Surfside Primary School, Ocean Grove (1,298, 724); Point Lonsdale (750, 597); Portarlington (839, 736); and Barwon Heads (930, 648).
A scan voting data shows Ms Asher prevailed in Ceres 295 two-candidate-preferred votes to Ms Coker’s 270, and at Moriac (388, 363).
Ms Coker also won majorities at Drysdale, Inverleigh and St Leonards.
CORANGAMITE BOOTH DATA* (Libby Coker, Stephanie Asher)
Armstrong Creek East (1321, 582)
Leopold LINC (1,666, 1,116)
Leopold North (640, 476)
Ocean Grove Surfside Primary School (1,298, 724)
Barwon Heads (930, 648)
Torquay Wurdi Baierr Stadium election day (639,368)
Torquay pre polling (8,588, 5,645)
Heyers Rd, Grovedale (1,316, 807)
Portarlington (839, 736)
Bannockburn (903, 729)
Point Lonsdale (750, 597)
Ceres (270, 295)
*Two candidate preferred votes
FIRST PREFERENCES CORIO
Richard Marles – Australian Labor Party – 32,493
Manish Patel- Liberal – 18,286
Simon Northeast – The Greens – 11,284
Shane Murdock – United Australia Party – 3,862
Max Payne – Liberal Democrats – 2,766
Robert Jones – Pauline Hanson’s One Nation – 2,594
Sue Bull – Socialist Alliance – 2,077
Naomi Adams – Animal Justice Party – 1,689
Jessica Taylor – Australian Federation Party – 815
75,866 votes counted
FIRST PREFERENCES CORANGAMITE
Libby Coker – Australian Labor Party – 29,638
Stephanie Asher – Liberal – 25,195
Alex Marshall – The Greens – 11,615
Daniel Abou-zeid – United Australia Party – 2,429
Paul Barker – Liberal Democrats – 1,967
Luke Sorensen – Pauline Hanson’s One Nation – 1,784
Meg Watkins – Animal Justice Party – 1,474
Jean-Marie D’Argent – Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party – 926
Stephen Juhasz – Australian Federation Party 617
75,645 votes counted
Coker pledges “care and compassion” from a Labor government
A deeper shade of red is over Geelong today following a stirring election win for Labor in Corangamite and Corio.
Labor MPs Libby Coker and Richard Marles, who will be sworn in as deputy PM on Monday, are both due to increase their margins — although Ms Coker’s hold on Corangamite goes from a fingernail grip to a stranglehold.
Labor supporters gathered at Grovedale at the weekend were expecting a tight contest.
A poll released last week, showed a slip in popularity for Liberal Stephanie Asher. Ultimately it foreshadowed the final result.
Less than three hours after vote counting began on Saturday, Ms Asher conceded defeat.
From then on emotions pent up during a gruelling six-week election campaign in the Labor camp gushed.
Ms Coker said she wanted to see more “care and compassion” in government.
“What I hope is that what Labor is offering to the people of Australia is what is going to help you in your everyday lives to get ahead. And what I really want to see is more care and compassion in government.”
Ms Coker said she and Mr Marles listened to their communities.
“We get out there because we care. And that is the most important thing that I want to see in a government, someone that actually renews our care in the community and actually does not play games with people’s lives. Because it matters,” Ms Coker said.
“Along the way what we’ve done is we have spoken to people, we have listened to our communities and we understand what you need to get ahead in your lives. Corangamite has been a tough battle. It is always so marginal.”
Ms Coker said she got “a lot of energy” out of working with the community and making a difference.
“The main things for me is to serve my community and do that to the best of my ability.
“Whether it’s a grassroots issues like helping someone with the NDIS plan that has been cut, whether it’s somebody who is struggling, like a woman with two kids who can’t find a roof over her head.
“It’s about helping young people who are feeling anxious about climate change.
“Locally it’s implementing the infrastructure commitments we’ve made. Federally it’s about creating a better future.”
The Australian Electoral Commission is predicting a 64-36 two candidate preferred result to Mr Marles in Corio.
While in Corangamite the commission predicts its likely to be 59-41 result to Ms Coker.
Mr Marles said the next three years under Labor would be the “most significant”, since the end of the WW2, to re-imagine Australia.
“I think what happens in the next three years is really going to tell the story as to what kind of a country exists through to the middle of this century, what prosperity looks like for our kids and our grandkids in 2050.”
Mr Marles said people around Australia, and people in Geelong, the Surf Coast, the Bellarine had voted for a better future.
“There’s a huge responsibility on all of us. It’s not a responsibility we take lightly.”
– Chad Van Estrop
‘Best moment of my political life’: deputy PM-elect
Deputy Prime Minister-elect Richard Marles has declared the elevation of Labor from opposition into government is the best moment of his political life.
The Corio MP, elected for a sixth term on Saturday, will be sworn in as deputy PM on Monday and will almost immediately become acting PM as Anthony Albanese heads off to the Quad security meeting in Japan.
It is likely Mr Marles will take up the role as defence minister. Mr Marles was Labor’s spokesman for defence from July 2016 to January 2021 while in opposition.
Asked if the win, and elevation to deputy PM-elect was the best moment in his political life, Mr Marles said: “Certainly yes, it’s up there with the moment of entering the parliament in 2007.”
Mr Marles said he felt “grief” after the 2019 election loss.
“I think a lot of us (in Labor) felt if we had our time again, we would have played our cards differently in 2019.
“What I felt coming into this election was that the thing I was really confident about was that we were going to maximise our business. We have played the very best hand that we could play.
“I feel very lucky to have been able to have the opportunity that I have.
“The starting point of that is being able to represent the people of Geelong.
“Whatever else we do, the most significant thing for me is (being) the member for Corio. It’s particularly the case given this is the place where I’ve spent most of my life and where I grew up.”
The Australian Electoral Commission is predicting a 64-36 two candidate preferred result in Corio.
The would mean a further gain for Mr Marles after he already held the seat on a 10 per cent margin following the 2019 election.
When vote counting resumed on Sunday the 2022 election first-preference count in Corio was:
MARLES, Richard – Australian Labor Party – 31,628
BULL, Sue -Socialist Alliance – 2,046
TAYLOR, Jessica – Australian Federation Party- 794
PATEL, Manish – Liberal – 17,713
NORTHEAST, Simon -The Greens- 11,122
JONES, Robert- Pauline Hanson’s One Nation – 2,492
ADAMS, Naomi – Animal Justice Party – 1,619
PAYNE, Max – Liberal Democrats – 2,724
MURDOCK, Shane – United Australia Party – 3,781
COKER SET FOR THUMPING WIN IN CORANGAMITE
Corangamite Labor MP Libby Coker has retained her seat in federal parliament following a swing of more than five per cent.
Ms Coker said she and Corio MP Richard Marles – who is likely to become the deputy Prime Minister when Labor form government – listened to their communities.
“We get out there because we care. And that is the most important thing that I want to see in a government, that hopefully we will get to be, someone that actually renews our care in the community and actually does not play games with people’s lives. Because it matters,” Ms Coker said.
“Along the way what we’ve done is we have spoken to people, we have listened to our communities and we understand what you need to get ahead in your lives. Corangamite has been a tough battle. It is always so marginal.”
Just before 9pm Saturday Liberal candidate Stephanie Asher conceded defeat in Corangamite. By 10:50pm Saturday the two-party preferred vote in Corangamite was 58-42 with 95.37 per cent of ballot papers counted.
Mr Marles said there was an opportunity to re-imagine Australia under a Labor government.
“I think what happens in the next three years is really going to tell the story as to what kind of a country exists through to the middle of this century, what prosperity looks like for our kids and our grandkids in 2050.”
— Chad Van Estrop
COKER WINS CORANGAMITE
Corangamite Labor MP Libby Coker has retained her seat following a significant swing.
Just before 9pm Saturday Liberal candidate Stephanie Asher conceded defeat, and ABC election analyst Anthony Green called Corangamite for Labor about 8:20pm Saturday.
The Australian Electoral Commission reported a 6.5 per cent swing to Labor in Corangamite that takes in the Bellarine Peninsula and some suburbs of Geelong.
Ms Coker said she got “a lot of energy out of working with my local community and feeling as though I can make a difference.”
“The main thing for me is to serve my community and do that to the best of my ability,” Ms Coker said.
“Whether it’s a grassroots issue like helping someone with the NDIS plan that has been cut, whether it’s somebody who is struggling like a woman with two kids who can’t find a roof over her head.
“It’s about helping young people who are feeling anxious about climate change. I’d love to get their headspace into Armstrong Creek would be a really great thing.”
Ms Asher said “tonight is not our night”.
“I really wanted to say thank you so much … we’ve put on a very strong local campaign. I’m very proud of what we did. We covered a lot of ground.”
Ms Coker won Corangamite by just 1.1 per cent at the 2019 election.
— Chad Van Estrop and Olivia Shying
9PM CORANGAMITE – 51,596 – VOTES COUNTED (2PP: 57.37% Labor, 42.63% Liberal)
JUHASZ, Stephen – Australian Federation Party – 404
MARSHALL, Alex – The Greens – 7,999
COKER, Libby – Australian Labor Party – 20,131
WATKINS, Meg – Animal Justice Party – 1,010
ASHER, Stephanie – Liberal – 17,156
BARKER, Paul – Liberal Democrats – 1,396
SORENSEN, Luke – Pauline Hanson’s One Nation – 1,195
ABOU-ZEID, Daniel William – United Australia Party – 1,716
D’ARGENT, Jean-MarieDerryn Hinch’s Justice Party – 589
8:15PM CORANGAMITE – 14,570 VOTES COUNTED (2PP: 58.21% Labor, 41.79% Liberal
JUHASZ, Stephen – Australian Federation Party – 118
MARSHALL, Alex – The Greens – 2467
COKER, Libby – Australian Labor Party – 5318
WATKINS, Meg – Animal Justice Party – 224
ASHER, Stephanie – Liberal – 4920
BARKER, Paul – Liberal Democrats – 408
SORENSEN, Luke – Pauline Hanson’s One Nation – 418
ABOU-ZEID, Daniel William – United Australia Party – 508
D’ARGENT, Jean-MarieDerryn Hinch’s Justice Party – 189
8:10PM: WHERE’S STEPH?
Liberal Corangamite candidate Stephanie Asher has not arrived at the party’s Grovedale function.
Former state MP and state Liberal South Barwon Candidate Andrew Katos told the Geelong Advertiser it was too early to tell if the Liberal party would win back Corangamite.
Mr Katos said he had spent the majority of the day at a Grovedale polling booth and said he “didn’t sense any anger against the government”.
“When you get that big swing and there’s a change of government, you get people quite angrily taking how to vote cards and not taking yours. Certainly didn’t see that,” he said.
“I thought it was pretty even between the ones taking just ours and just taking Labor’s. But the wildcard is the ones who don’t take anything. You just don’t know what they’re doing.”
7:30PM CORANGAMITE – 2,299 VOTES COUNTED (62.76 per cent Labor, 37.24 Liberal)
JUHASZ, Stephen – Australian Federation Party – 15
MARSHALL, Alex – The Greens – 405
COKER, Libby – Australian Labor Party – 753
WATKINS, Meg – Animal Justice Party – 33
Inverleigh in #corangamite on Geelong outskirts Libs down 14% Lab & Greens up 6 % each, turnout down 11% #AusVotes22
— Geoff Robinson (@GeoffPolHist) May 21, 2022
ASHER, Stephanie – Liberal – 867
BARKER, Paul – Liberal Democrats – 58
SORENSEN, Luke – Pauline Hanson’s One Nation – 61
ABOU-ZEID, Daniel William – United Australia Party – 73
D’ARGENT, Jean-MarieDerryn Hinch’s Justice Party – 34
HOW VOTE COUNTING WILL WORK
What is counted tonight?
All votes cast today will be counted tonight
The majority of pre-poll votes cast will also be counted tonight
There will be large pre-poll counts that will not be available until late in the night
All counting will cease at midnight local time
Postal votes are not counted tonight. The first small postal vote counts will be available from Sunday afternoon.
COKER SPEAKS AS POLLS CLOSE
Corangamite MP Libby Coker told the Addy people want more care and compassion in government.
“The overarching issue is cost of living usually followed by issues related to that like childcare,” Ms Coker said.
“They’re worried about putting food on the table. Young people are very anxious about climate change. They’re looking for a better future.
“Childcare has been on the agenda too particularly places like Armstrong Creek there’s lots of young families are looking for support so women and men can get back into the workforce.
Ms Coker started the day at Leopold and was at Armstrong Creek when the polls closed at 6pm.
“I think an anti-corruption commission is certainly something that the community has asked me about here,” she said at Armstrong Creek.
Ms Coker said voters and Leopold were concerned with cost of living while those at Armstrong Creek were keen to speak about how Labor would take action on climate change.
Ms Coker said she got “a lot of energy out of working with my local community and feeling as though I can make a difference.”
“The main things for me is to serve my community and do that to the best of my ability.
“Whether it’s a grassroots issues like helping someone with the NDIS plan that has been cut, whether it’s somebody who is struggling like a woman with two kids who can’t find a roof over her head.
“It’s about helping young people who are feeling anxious about climate change. “I’d love to get their headspace into Armstrong Creek would be a really great thing.
“Locally it’s implementing the infrastructure commitments we’ve made. Federally it’s about creating a better future.”
EXIT POLL FINAL RESULT
The Addy spoke to 100 voters who visited ballot boxes at Torquay and Portarlington, here’s the results from the exit poll:
United Australia Party – Daniel Abou-zeid – 3
Animal Justice Party – Meg Watkins – 3
Final exit poll of 50 Corangamite voters from Wurdi Baierr Stadium in Torquay:
— Harrison Tippet (@Hwtippet) May 21, 2022
ALP (@LibbyCokerMP): 21
Greens (Alex Marshall): 17
Liberals (@StephanieAsher1): 9
UAP: 2
Federation Party: 1
No answer/bugger off: 47#auspol@geelongaddypic.twitter.com/ZGBa7guPZd
Australian Federation Party – Stephen Juhasz – 2
Pauline Hanson’s One Nation – Luke Sorensen – 1
.@geelongaddy exit poll at Portarlington. Majority of voters here have correctly picked the party that's formed gov at all #auspol elections '04 to '19.@LibbyCokerMP - 17
— Chad Van Estrop (@cvanestrop) May 21, 2022
@StephanieAsher1v - 17 @Greens - 10 @animaljusticeAU - 3
UAP, One Nation, Aus Federation Party- 1 each pic.twitter.com/uuSJ00TUjl
Liberal – Steph Asher – 26
Labor – Libby Coker – 38
Greens – Alex Marshall – 27
This is what the major parties have promised for the Geelong region:
GEELONG ADDY EXIT POLL – FIRST RESULT
Addy reporters Chad Van Estrop and Harrison Tippet are on the hustings talking to voters in between chomping down democracy sausages.
So far 60 Corangamite voters have shared their views with 27 voting Labor, 20 for Liberals, Greens 11, Federation Party 1, Pauline Hanson’s One Nation 1 and United Australia Party 1.
.@geelongaddy exit poll of 26 #corangamite voters at Portarlington: @StephanieAsher1 - 12@LibbyCokerMP - 10@AusGreensParty - 2 @UnitedAusParty - 1 @PaulineHansonOz's One Nation - 1 pic.twitter.com/y4UBAPiAjc
— Chad Van Estrop (@cvanestrop) May 21, 2022
Corangamite exit poll*:
— Harrison Tippet (@Hwtippet) May 21, 2022
ALP: 17
Greens: 9
Liberals: 8
Federation Party: 1
No response/bugger off: 29#auspol@geelongaddypic.twitter.com/SiFdoUOlPl
LEOPOLD SHAPES AS KEY BATTLEGROUND
At the 2019 election the seat of Corangamite, that stretches from Bannockburn in the north, the Bellarine Peninsula in the east, Torquay in the south and Inverleigh in the west, was won by just 2170 two-party preferred votes.
In 2022 Torquay, Armstrong Creek and Leopold and Portarlington are likely to contribute significantly to the fortunes of whoever is elected in the seat.
Liberal Stephanie Asher and Labor’s Libby Coker have both been out at the Leopold LINC voting centre on Saturday morning trying to convince voters.
Data from the Australian Electoral Commission shows the majority of voters in Leopold have swung between Liberal and Labor on three occasions since the 2004 election.
While data shows voters at Grovedale have been the most temperamental in Corangamite, switching allegiances four times since 2004.
LEADER CASTS VOTE IN GEELONG
There’s plenty of reasons for Deputy Labor Leader Richard Marles to be smiling.
By the end of today he could be Australia’s deputy Prime Minister in waiting, if Labor can secure a majority by claiming 76 seats in federal parliament.
Mr Marles, who has jetted across the country to help fellow party members secure votes, holds his seat of Corio on a 10 per cent margin.
Labor Leader Anthony Albanese has foreshadowed Mr Marles would be sworn in as deputy PM quickly if Labor wins government.
The Prime Minister of Australia is due to attend a meeting of international leaders in Japan next week.
In 1963 former Prime Minister Bob Hawke, who was then an young-up-and-comer, almost snatched Corio from the popular Hubert Opperman.
LEADERS LAST PITCH TO GEELONG
Here’s some of what the major parties’ leaders said in their last pitch to the people of Geelong.
ANTHONY ALBANESE
When the cost of the necessities of life, like food and clothing, grows faster than the
pay packets of Australians, there is something wrong with our nation.
Australians work hard. We look after each other, a feature of our national character
that has come to the fore during the Covid pandemic.
Yet our Federal Liberal Government boasts it is deliberately keeping a lid on wages
growth.
It is led by a Prime Minister in Scott Morrison who believes our lowest-paid
workers don’t deserve a pay rise that allows them to keep up with inflation.
He can’t even agree with the concept that all workers, including delivery drivers in the gig
economy, are entitled to the minimum wage.
Today Australians have a chance to vote for something better.
SCOTT MORRISON
Geelong has always depended on a thriving economy.
Throughout its history, it’s been part of Australia’s engine room.
It is a strong community and a resilient one. One that embodies the spirit of having a go and getting a go.
The Liberal plan is a plan for more jobs, lower taxes, better roads, cleaner energy, record health investments, and stronger national security.
It will create 1.3 million new jobs over the next five years including 450,000 new jobs in regional Australia.
Our plan lowers tax for Australians and puts in a place a shield against cost-of living pressures.
It does this by lowering taxes, making childcare more affordable, providing cost of living payments for pensioners and carers, freezing deeming rates, cutting fuel excise and making medicines cheaper.
If you don’t want to vote for a major party here’s where the minor parties want you to direct your preferences:
CORANGAMITE
Labor over Liberal:
– Greens
– Animal Justice Party
– Lib Democrats
– Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party
Liberal over Labor:
– United Australia Party
– Pauline Hanson’s One Nation
– Australian Federation Party
CORIO
Labor over Liberal:
– Socialist Alliance
– Greens
– Animal Justice Party
Liberal over Labor:
– Pauline Hanson’s One Nation
– United Australia Party
– Liberal Democrats
*Australian Federation Party’s Corio candidate Jessica Taylor has not issued a how-to-vote card
Originally published as Election coverage in Geelong 2022
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