Form guide: Bill Shorten scratching leaves field wide open for next Victorian PM
It’s more than 40 years since Victoria produced a Prime Minister and Bill Shorten’s scratching means we’ll likely have an even longer wait. Here’s our form guide to the starters’ chances.
Victoria
Don't miss out on the headlines from Victoria. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Bill Shorten was not only one of Labor’s best performers, he was, despite his two election losses, still one of Victoria’s best chances to produce a Prime Minister.
Though Bob Hawke and Julia Gillard sat for Melbourne seats they were both from interstate and cleared off as soon as they left parliament.
It’s been more than 40 years since its last native Victorian tenant – Malcolm Fraser – left The Lodge, with six of the eight PM since hailing from Sydney.
Sadly, it looks like Victorians might have a long wait before producing another.
The Herald Sun has produced a form guide to the starters’ chances:
Richard Marles - 20/1
Currently Deputy PM and the Right faction’s most senior minister in Cabinet.
That’s a problem as the Right is now much smaller nationally than the Left. First elected the same year as Shorten. To reach the winning post he would have needed Albo to fall at a fence before the last election. At 57, time has probably passed.
Clare O’Neil - 25/1
Has drifted in the market after being given a start in Home Affairs a track that didn’t suit her. Now being tried in Housing. Being a filly helps in the ALP but comes from the smaller half of the Right which is a problem.
Sam Rae - 15/1
Yearling MP being groomed by veteran ALP Right faction trainer Stephen Conroy.
Still to have a win but considers himself the next big thing from that stable.
Dan Tehan - 10/1
Senior Victorian Liberal MP who is acceptable all to the state party’s factions.
Doesn’t like to make the running but can move quickly when he needs to.
Josh Frydenberg - 500/1
Former Treasurer has been in spell since losing his seat in 2022.
Circled the barrier for a while ahead of the next election but in the end refused to enter and was scratched.
Now in a very good paddock as local head of investment bankers Goldman Sachs.
Amelia Hamer - 70/1
Observers think if the voters give the Liberal a start in Kooyong where she is up against Teal Monique Ryan, Hamer could go far.
Has an excellent bloodline as a relative of the late Dick and David Hamer who served respectively as premier and senator-for-Victoria last century.
Josh Burns - 50/1
Was trained in Spring St as a Labor staffer before moving to Canberra.
Popular with colleagues but though personally very left wing he suffers from being in the Right faction.
Keith Wolahan - 50/1
Irish import who arrived here as a foal. Had to wait years to get a start because veteran Liberal Kevin Andrews wanted to stay as MP for life.
Since getting into parliament some of his public positions – questioning the tax treatment of investment properties and backing calls to include sexual identity in the census – have his colleagues worried he might pull to the left.
Dan Andrews - 10,000/1
Three time Spring Street Stakes winner who retired undefeated as sentimental local favourite.
Was long rumoured to want a run in a Group 1 race in Canberra.
But even if could get a start has no chance of winning with the weight in his saddlebags of the crippling debt he left the state, blowouts of billions on major projects and a Victorian Commonwealth Games which will now be held in Glasgow.
Originally published as Form guide: Bill Shorten scratching leaves field wide open for next Victorian PM
Rate roller coaster: What Victorians need to know about RBA move
Long-suffering homeowners could be set for home loan repayment relief in as little as days. Experts have revealed what you should do after the Reserve Bank meets on Tuesday.
Werribee auction surprise: Why buyers wont back down
A bidding war in Werribee had buyers pushing the price higher than expected. What made this home so popular? The final result caught many by surprise.