A tearful Emma McBride declares victory for Labor in Dobell, dedicating win to her dad
LABOR has won back its traditional heartland on the Coast, with Emma McBride declaring victory in Dobell tonight, dedicating her win to her father former state government minister Grant McBride.
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LABOR has won back its traditional heartland on the Central Coast, with Emma McBride declaring victory in the seat of Dobell tonight, dedicating her win to her father former state government minister Grant McBride.
With just 55 per cent of the vote counted, Ms McBride claimed victory with a salute to her father who was a former long-time Member for The Entrance.
A jubilant Ms McBride was cheered into the Bay Room at The Entrance Leagues Club a short while ago.
“I want to thank my nanna Elaine. Without her, I wouldn’t be a member of the Labor Party,’’ Ms McBride said.
“And to my wonderful dad who I love so much. I owe him this. My dad has been retired from politics but he has come back with a vengeance.’’
Mr McBride, former Minister for the Central Coast and Minister for Gaming and Racing, is suffering Alzheimers disease and was too ill to attend the post election party tonight.
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“There are so many people I want to thank. We reached 50,000 people in Dobell during the election campaign,’’ Ms McBride said.
“I had 216 people working for me and the Berkeley Vale booth was our strongest one.’’
However, incumbent Dobell federal Liberal MP Karen McNamara refused to concede defeat.
She said she had run a good campaign but had been the victim of Labor’s Medicare privatisation scare campaign and union pressure.
“I am still very optimistic,” Mrs McNamara said.
“I’m surprised about this announcement. There are still 21,000 pre-poll and postal votes to count and I am not conceding anything.
“I feel that I have represented Dobell very well.”
With 72.7 per cent of the vote counted, Ms McBride had a comfortable lead of 56.2 per cent compared to Ms McNamara’s 43.8 per cent on a two-party preferred basis.
Ms McBride contested the seat of Dobell at the 2013 election narrowly losing by just over 1000 votes to Mrs McNamara.
Dobell, which is now considered a bellwether electorate, was a traditional Labor heartland with party stalwart Michael Lee holding the seat for 17 years.
Meanwhile incumbent Liberal MP for Robertson Lucy Wicks is predicted to retain her seat.
With 62.1 per cent of the vote counted, Mrs Wicks was leading with 51.0 per cent compared to Labor candidate Anne Charlton’s 49.0 per cent on a two-party preferred basis.
At her election party at Gosford Sailing Club, Mrs Wicks was “cautiously optimistic” but did not claim victory.
“It’s been a long, tough, hard campaign,” Mrs Wicks said.
“Tonight it shows every single vote counts.
“The result does give an indication of the feeling I’ve been hearing on the Central Coast and our plan for more local jobs.”
Meanwhile, Ms Charlton said she was waiting to see how the count progressed.
In Shortland, which takes in the northern suburbs of the Coast, Charlton federal Labor MP Pat Conroy was set to win the seat, with 60.4 per cent compared to Liberal candidate Jenny Barrie’s 39.6 per cent on a two-party preferred basis.
Nationally it was too close to call the election result after 59.5 per cent of the vote counted, respected ABC election analyst Antony Green said.
The ABC is predicting the Coalition will win 73 seats, the ALP 68, five by minor parties, with four in doubt.
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