Federal election 2022: Bennelong voters head to the booths

With Bennelong still on a knife’s edge, Labor’s Jerome Laxale took to the stage amongst cheers of support to speak to his supporters.

Speaking to a more sombre room earlier tonight, the Liberal candidate for Bennelong Simon Kennedy reiterated the vote is still too close to call.

“It’s been a very tough campaign and it’s too close to call,” Mr Kennedy said.

“We’re not going to know the result ... for a couple of days.”

Meanwhile, just after 10pm, ‘Solidarity Forever’ was sung at Jarome Laxale’s post-election party.

‘No fingernails by the end of the night’: Laxale speaks to supporters

With Bennelong still hanging by a knife’s edge, Labor’s Jerome Laxale took to the stage amongst cheers of support to speak to his supporters.

Mr Laxale remained cautious about his chances to win the once safe Liberal seat of Bennelong but the mood amongst his supporters was anything but downbeat as they watched the results trickle in.

“Bennelong is ready for change,” Mr Laxale began. “We know that it’ll be extremely tight. We’re probably not going to have any fingernails by the end of the night.”

Mr Laxale ran off a number of booths he felt certain Labor will win — Denistone East, Top Ryde, Eastwood pre poll — to cheers and applause.

At the end of his speech, he also delivered a sharp criticism of how the Liberal campaign was run.

Loud cheers at #Bennelong Labor after party as Laxale gets ready to speak pic.twitter.com/z0uLuWgiot

— Odessa Blain (@odessablain) May 21, 2022

“Election campaigns aren’t easy, particularly when our opponents resort to smear and drag the personal life into public sphere,” he said. “And hopefully they lose the seat because of it.”

As of 9:30pm, Liberal is hanging on to the lead by a thread, with 40.84 per cent and an 8.7 swing against them.

Spirits high at Labor after party in #Bennelong despite results still being too close to call #AusPol2022pic.twitter.com/nNoosOrt5U

— Odessa Blain (@odessablain) May 21, 2022

Labor is sitting on 37.2 per cent of first preference votes, with a 1.91 per cent swing in their favour.

A total of 49,363 votes have been counted, and 38 out of 51 polling places having returned their results.

Too close to call: Bennelong, Liberal suffers early swing

The Liberal candidate for Bennelong Simon Kennedy is feeling the pinch with the atmosphere at his post-election function anything but celebratory.

A collective groan rippled through the crowd when news of Warringah Independent’s Zali Stegall’s strong showing came on the televisions and one volunteer could be heard saying “we’re not winning in the places we need to be”.

As of 8pm, Liberal had suffered an 8.5 per cent swing from its 2019 results, with 40.04 per cent.

Labor is trailing close behind with 38.6 per cent of the votes counted, and a swing of 2.78 per cent in their favour.

Only 31.62 per cent of the votes have been counted, with just nine out of 51 polling places having returned their results.

Liberal Party function at Bennelong.

Many of the pre-poll votes unable to be counted until later tonight, the AEC has forewarned.

Additionally, postal votes will not be counted until tomorrow.

‘Democracy is amazing’: Last minute pitch before polls close

As the sun set and rain began to bucket down, both the Liberal and Labor candidates for Bennelong, Simon Kennedy and Jerome Laxale, were out campaigning for final votes at West Ryde Public School.

Mr Kennedy said he felt confident about the final results as he greeted community members heading in to vote.

“It’s been a great day, it’s been a lot of fun,” Mr Kennedy said.

“Democracy is amazing, it’s fantastic. And whatever happens tonight, I think it’s fantastic we live in a country where you can speak your mind, have different opinions and we should celebrate that across Australia.”

“I’m looking forward to the results tonight — it’ll be good reality TV.”

Simon Kennedy out campaigning for final votes. Picture: Jeremy Piper

Simon Kennedy. Picture: Jeremy Piper

Meanwhile, over in the other corner of the school playground, Mr Laxale said there’s a solid chance Labor could cause an upset in what was once John Howard’s seat.

“I think there’s a big mood for change in Bennelong,” the Labor candidate said.

“I‘ve met lots of Liberal voters who’ve said this time I’m voting Labor because of Scott Morrison, because of inaction on climate change and because of no anti corruption commission.”

“They’re the biggest three issues that’s switching Liberal voters and we’ll have to wait and see if that’s enough.”

Labor candidate for Bennelong Jerome Laxale at West Ryde Public School. Picture: Jeremy Piper

‘Pretty disgusting’: Laxale slams Liberal scare campaign

– 5:11pm

A last-minute effort by the Liberal party to rouse fears in marginal seats over asylum seekers, was panned by Labor’s Jerome Laxale.

The text message – which was reportedly sent to voters in the Bennelong electorate – alerted people to the news a boat had been intercepted after an alleged attempt to illegally enter Australia from Sri Lanka.

The revelation was confirmed by Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

When asked about the text message, Labor candidate for Bennelong Jerome Laxale said: “desperate times call for desperate measures”.

“That text was pretty disgusting. For the last 10 years the Liberal government has been politicising the plight of refugees and I didn’t think they could go any lower than what they have.”

Jerome Laxale on election day. Picture: Jeremy Piper

“This is pretty disgusting – they play politics on refugees … (but) I hope the Australian public sees through it.”

But Liberal candidate Simon Kennedy, who was out campaigning for final votes, said he had no knowledge of the text.

“I’ve not seen anything,” Mr Kennedy said. “I’ve been on prepoll all day and I haven’t checked my texts so I have no knowledge of any of that.”

A close race and a pirate: Bennelong heads to the polls

– 3.55pm

Bennelong residents are lining up to vote and grabbing those last minute snags as the federal election race comes into its final hours.

Liberal candidate Simon Kennedy cast his ballot — with his sons — at Epping Boys High School earlier in the day and Labor candidate Jerome Laxale headed out to vote at Denistone East Public School.

Outside West Ryde PS both Labor and Liberal volunteers are feeling confident about their chances in #Bennelong - but they think it’ll go down to the wire #Ausvotes#AusPol#Elections2022pic.twitter.com/YTu1Bb6iaJ

— Odessa Blain (@odessablain) May 21, 2022

Turning heads outside North Ryde Public School was Fusion party candidate John August, handing out how-to-vote cards dressed in slightly unconventional attire.

“(The hat) is because I once ran as a Pirate Party candidate but made the switch when the Pirate Party merged into Fusion,” Mr August said.

“But I still have my heart with the Pirate Party.”

Fusion’s John August.

Mr August said he decided to run this election because he was frustrated with the direction of Australian politics.

“It just seems very dodgy to me,” he said. “I’m annoyed with how our political parties act and I want to do something about it.”

Also vying for the seat of Bennelong are candidates (by ballot order): The Greens’ Tony Adams, Liberal Democrat’s Dougal Cameron, United Australia Party’s Rhys Ian Collyer, One Nation’s Victor Waterson, Democratic Alliance’s Kyinzom Dhongdue.

Live rolling coverage of booths across NSW can be found here.