Kristina Keneally expected to take Senate spot after falling short in Bennelong by-election
FORMER NSW premier Kristina Keneally looks certain to replace disgraced Labor senator Sam Dastyari in Canberra after failing to win her own place in the lower house.
NSW
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IF you can’t beat ’em, there are other ways to join them.
Former premier Kristina Keneally looks certain to replace disgraced Labor senator Sam Dastyari in Canberra after failing to win her own place in the lower house yesterday.
While Labor secured a swing of around 6 per cent, it was not enough to dislodge former Liberal member John Alexander from the seat he had held with a 9 per cent margin prior to resigning over citizenship issues.
Ms Keneally is now expected to replace Mr Dastyari, after his forced resignation over relations with a Chinese donor.
Making the best of her electoral defeat, Ms Keneally told the Labor faithful: “If this result was replicated at a general election, we would see 24-28 seats fall and, friends, that would mean a Labor government and would mean Bill Shorten as our prime minister.”
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Despite her brave words, the result means Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull can breathe easy at Christmas after retaining his one-seat majority in the House of Representatives.
It also means he has probably staved off any imminent leadership manoeuvres.
With just under 30 per cent of votes counted last night, the Liberals’ 9 per cent margin had shrunk to about 3 per cent.
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.
The result is a major setback for Labor, which had poured around $250,000 into the campaign, including an eleventh-hour doorknocking and robocall campaign as voting began.
Ms Keneally said the result was a sign voters were disenchanted with Mr Turnbull and his government.
She turned her speech to the next federal election, saying she had been electrified by the result after an “intense” campaign.
“I want to congratulate John Alexander on his election tonight,” she said. “Unfortunately, I am not here to claim victory in Bennelong.”
Mr Shorten also claimed the result augured well for the federal election. “If Labor could replicate this swing I have no doubt that after the next general election,” he said. “Labor finished 2017 with a most remarkable wind in its sails.”
Ms Keneally endured a grilling in the lead-up to the vote, with questions over how close she was to former right-wing powerbroker Eddie Obeid. In the final days of the campaign, it was revealed Ms Keneally had threatened Mr Dastyari with legal action if he did not withdraw comments published in a book that she had a close relationship with Mr Obeid.
The campaign was marked by its vicious and personal tone, with both parties accusing each other of wrongdoing, slurs and dirty tricks.
Ms Keneally seized on the government’s crackdown on foreign spies to accuse Mr Turnbull of “fuelling suspicions of Asians”.
In reply, Mr Alexander claimed Ms Keneally was “unable to tell the truth”.
Voters across the electorate appeared glad the campaign was over, and both parties noted an apparent low voter turnout at the polling booths, a possible sign of disinterest.