Federal Election 2022 North Sydney: Kylea Tink claims victory in history vote

Independent Kylea Tink is vowing to deliver on her pre-election pledge of “changing the climate in Canberra’’ after sitting MP Trent Zimmerman conceded defeat in the battleground electorate.

4.30PM SUNDAY: Trent Zimmerman has conceded defeat after a crushing swing that saw independent Kylea Tink claim victory in the seat of North Sydney.

In a statement released on Sunday afternoon, said he had called Ms Tink to congratulate her on the outcome as current results show Ms Tink leading the two-candidate preferred vote at 53.4 per cent.

”Having the honour of serving our community in federal parliament has been an amazing experience,” Mr Zimmerman said.

“But that chapter has come to an end and I of course respect the verdict of voters in North Sydney.

Trent Zimmerman with his partner Carlos Toledo and their dog at home on the North Shore.

“I have met so many wonderful residents and heard their stories. I have seen our community in action helping others, particularly during the pandemic.

“For me the lasting memories will be the times where I have been able to assist individuals with problems big and small. Thank you to the North Sydney community for having given me that opportunity.

“I particularly want to thank my partner Carlos for his patience, love and support. I haven’t had a day of leave since the start of the pandemic so I am looking forward to spending more time with him and (my dog) Simba.”

SATURDAY 11PM: Independent Kylea Tink has claimed victory in North Sydney – vowing to deliver on her pre-election pledge of “changing the climate in Canberra’’.

Current results, as of 10am on Sunday, show Ms Tink leading the two party preferred count with 53.7 per cent of the vote to Liberal Trent Zimmerman’s 46.3 per cent.

Ms Tink said her priorities in Canberra would be to deliver fast action on climate change, the creation of a federal integrity commission and action to address inequality.

She said the victory was shared with the 1000-plus volunteers who supported her high visibility campaign in the once safe Liberal electorate.

“We have had the most incredibly inclusive campaign and we’ve worked hard to make sure every voice across North Sydney is heard,” Ms Tink said.

“When I was first asked to run, I didn’t say yes because I thought I had any ideas of grandeur, I said yes because I believe we need to do better by younger Australians.

“I am so proud to stand and now be your member for North Sydney.”

9.25PM: Trent Zimmerman says the chances of him retaining his North Sydney seat are “narrow but alive” as early results show Independent Kylea Tink on track to clinch victory.

Speaking to the party faithful at his post election function, Mr Zimmerman said it may take days for the final result to be settled and will likely come down to postal and pre-poll ballots.

“Like many elections, the next few days will determine who is the government of Australia and who is the member for North Sydney,” he said.

“The path is narrow but it is alive.

“Incredibly we’ve seen early voting happen at a race we’ve never seen happen before – in fact there are 50,000 votes still yet to be counted either through pre-poll or postal votes and that’s going to determine the outcome of the election in North Sydney.”

Current results show Ms Tink sits on 54 per cent of the first preference vote to 46 per cent to Mr Zimmerman with 36 polling places counted.

Independent candidate for North Sydney Kylea Tink pictured with her three children at a polling booth today.

“When you look at the results there will be lessons for the Liberal party to learn,” Mr Zimmerman said.

“We need to ensure as a party, as a government, we represent the aspirations and views of our great metro areas that represent so much of the economic activity of our nation,

“We cannot ignore the lessons from the election result tonight – if we do the pathway for us being in government, retaining government, and winning government again will be impossibly narrow.”

8.40PM: State Liberal MP Matt Kean says the party has lessons to learn as votes continue to be counted in North Sydney.

Speaking at Trent Zimmerman’s post-election function, Mr Kean said the result in the electorate was too close to call.

“We always knew this would be a tough battle but it’s been a cage fight – literally every single vote has been up for grabs,” he said.

North Shore State MP Felicity Wilson and State MP Matt Kean pictured at Trent Zimmerman’s election party.

“Clearly the community are concerned after the bushfires, the floods and the droughts about the issue of climate change.

“The key thing is the Liberal party is at its strongest when it represents the diversity of the community – we need to talk to inner city voters and rural regional voters as well and there’ll be lessons to be learned out of tonight’s result.”

8:20PM: North Sydney remains on a knife edge as votes continue to be counted in the battleground seat.

Liberal Trent Zimmerman is out front with 36 per cent of first preference votes, ahead of Kylea Tink with 26.4 per cent and Labor’s Catherine Renshaw with 22.3 per cent.

But the projected two party preferred vote puts Kylea Tink ahead with 56.7 per cent of the vote to Zimmerman’ 43.3 per cent.

A total of 24 of 54 polling places have been counted to date.

It’s a clearer picture in Bradfield with Paul Fletcher sitting on a comfortable 43.6 per cent share of the vote ahead of Nicolette Boele (22.6%) and David Brigden (17%)

7:20PM: Major swings are unfolding as early counting gets underway in the Federal electorate of North Sydney.

Sitting Liberal MP Trent Zimmerman is currently leading first preference results with 1954 votes, or 32.6 per cent, – a negative swing of 15 per cent from the last election in 2019.

Independent Kylea Tink and Labor candidate Catherine Renshaw are neck and neck with respective first preference votes of 1529 and 1498. There is still a long night ahead with just 5 per cent of ballots counted as of 7.20pm.

Trent Zimmerman casts his vote, pictured alongside partner Carlos Toledo.

Labor’s current vote represents a negative swing of 3.5 per cent. The Greens are also down -4.8 per cent from the last election. North Sydney is seen as a three-horse race after a mammoth campaign in a seat once considered safe Liberal territory.

Speaking earlier today, Trent Zimmerman said ”we’ve never seen a campaign like this”.

In Bradfield, Liberal MP Paul Fletcher is leading the vote with 2694 votes – or 43.7 per cent of the vote – a negative swing of 14.9 per cent.

With 3 per cent of ballots counted, independent Nicolette Boele has 24 per cent of the vote, and Labor 16.4 per cent.

EARLIER: Thousands of north shore residents have braved the rain to cast their votes in one of the closest Federal election races in the region’s history.

Democracy sausages and corflutes have set the scene at polling booths across the North Sydney and Bradfield electorates.

North Sydney is shaping up to be a knife edge contest between sitting Liberal Trent Zimmerman, Labor candidate Catherine Renshaw and independent Kylea Tink.

North Sydney Labor candidate Catherine Renshaw casting her vote at Northbridge Public School.

Federal Election 2022

All three candidates hit the hustings early, meeting voters at local booths, before casting their ballots.

Mr Zimmerman cast his vote at Willoughby Public school while Catherine Renshaw voted bright and early at Northbridge Public School.

Speaking at Naremburn Public School after casting her vote, Ms Tink said she was feeling confident after a mammoth campaign.

Independent candidate for North Sydney Kylea Tink votes at Naremburn School.

“This is 35 weeks we’ve been running a campaign to get an independent for North Sydney to Canberra and the vibe is incredible, the people of North Sydney are ready for change,” she said.

It wasn’t just candidates keeping busy as volunteers made sure no democracy sausages were overcooked.

Neutral Bay Public School vice president Elizabeth Barnett said a team of 20 volunteers helped feed the crowds.

Bradfield independent candidate Nicolette Boele casts her vote.

Voters pictured at Naremburn Public School.

“It was busy from the beginning, and we sold out of our bacon and egg rolls before lunch

“Some people said they voted last week and just turned up for the food.

“It was a very busy crowd – much bigger than previous years. It’s kept us on our toes.

On the upper north shore, Mr Fletcher cast his vote at Montessori while his independent challenger Nicolette Boele headed to Gordon East Public School.