Bennelong by-election: John Alexander gives PM an easy Christmas
PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull can breathe easy this Christmas with the Liberal Party’s John Alexander fighting off Kristina Keneally to retain the government’s one-seat majority.
NSW
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PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull can breathe easy this Christmas with the Liberal Party’s John Alexander fighting off Kristina Keneally to retain the government’s one-seat majority.
The result should also mean Mr Turnbull will stave off any imminent leadership manoeuvres. Praising Mr Alexander to a rousing audience at West Ryde Leagues Club, an overjoyed Mr Turnbull said Mr Alexander’s victory had come despite the ugly Labor tactics.
“John Alexander had everything thrown at him, every lie that Labor could dream up,” he said.
“John as always was straight and true and honest and he stuck to our principles and our policies, and talked about the thousand jobs a day we are creating. John Alexander, you are Bennelong’s champion, just as you have been Australia’s champion.”
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Mr Alexander, who declared his win to be a “renaissance” for the Turnbull leadership, apologised to the party faithful for the by-election having to be held.
“The last four or five weeks have been a tumultuous time, and it had been a real battle,” he said. “I’ve got to thank the people of Bennelong — it is regrettable that we have to go through this.”
He told an anecdote about becoming eligible for a disabled sticker after hurting his back in the early years of his tennis career. “I said I still have some pride,” he said. “That was before I got into politics.”
Mr Alexander resigned the seat last month after admitting he was likely to be a dual British citizen, before renouncing any claim on UK nationality and recontesting the seat.