Labor must learn from its mistakes: MP Jason Clare

Senior Labor figures Jason Clare and Tony Burke have retained their seats of Blaxland and Watson but have suffered significant swings with Mr Clare declaring the party will need to learn from its mistakes after a shock Coalition victory last night.

Blaxland federal Labor MP Jason Clare hands out how to vote cards at Condell Park Public School on election day. Picture: Matthew Vasilescu

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Senior Labor figures Jason Clare and Tony Burke have retained their seats of Blaxland and Watson but have suffered significant swings with Mr Clare declaring the party will need to learn from its mistakes after a shock Coalition victory last night.

Mr Clare comfortably won Blaxland with a two-candidate preferred vote count of 40,218 or 65.26 per cent, according to the Australian Electoral Commission, as of 1pm Sunday. This compared to his closest rival, Liberal candidate Oz Guney, who secured 21,410 votes (34.74 per cent). The result, so far, is a 4.22 per cent swing away from Labor, which enjoyed a 19.5 per cent margin in the 2016 election.

Blaxland MP Jason Clare at Condell Park Public School.

The swing to the Liberal Party is also reflected in the safe Labor seat of Watson, which was on a 17.6 per cent margin, but whose majority has been reduced by 3.2 per cent.

Mr Burke, who is the manager of Opposition Business in the lower house and holds several key shadow portfolios, retained his seat with 64.38 per cent of the two-candidate preferred votes, compared to Liberal candidate Mohammad Zaman who won just 35.62 per cent.

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The seat of Watson includes Campsie, Belmore, Lakemba, Roselands, Wiley Park, Mount Lewis, Punchbowl, Greenacre, Croydon Park, Enfield, South Strathfield and parts of Lidcombe.

Mr Burke said he he had “stood side by side with the community for years, and I’m really honoured that the community has asked me to keep doing that into the future”.

“It could have easily been a Labor Government because that will be the only pathway for policy outcomes that will deliver truly for our community,” Mr Burke said.

Watson federal Labor MP Tony Burke and his wife Skye cast their votes at Punchbowl Public School on Saturday. Picture: Jordan Shields)

“What it means is that for another three years my role will be to try and stand in the way of the cuts and the chaos that we know a Morrison Government will try to deliver.

“I also want to acknowledge every other candidate who ran in Watson, people were respectful and decent to each other and that speaks well for how democracy is conducted in our local area,” Mr Burke said.

Mr Clare, who has held Blaxland since 2007, said “he felt very grateful that the people of our local community have voted for me and supported me again”.

“I thank them for putting their faith in me again … I will continue doing what I have been doing for the last 11 years — fighting for our community in the parliament.”

Labor Member for Watson Tony Burke greets supporters at Punchbowl Public School. Picture: Jordan Shields

Mr Clare congratulated Scott Morrison and the Liberal Government on its re-election.

“It’s an honour and a privilege to be elected prime minister and I wish him well,” Mr Clare said.

Of Labor’s loss, Mr Clare said: “It’s really disappointing for all the true believers in the Labor Party in Bankstown and around Australia. There are so many important things we want to do to make Australia a better and fairer place.”

Mr Clare said the party would live to fight another day.

Labor MP for Blaxland Jason Clare casts his vote at Condell Park Public School. Picture: Matthew Vasilescu

“It’s a bit like a bowler in cricket, one over you get hit for a six and the next over you get them out.”

“We will have to dust ourselves off and learn from our mistakes.”

Mr Clare said the ALP would conduct a big review down the track and figure out what “we did right and what we did wrong”.

Labor supporters Karl Saleh and Fatima Arja at Punchbowl Public School on election day. Picture: Jordan Shields

He rejected the notion that Labor would have to be a “small target” party from now on.

“Part of being a politician is having ideas and communicating those ideas. Elections are always going to be a contest of ideas.”

Blaxland includes Auburn, parts of Lidcombe, Berala, South Granville, Chester Hill, Bass Hill, Regents Park, Yagoona, Georges Hall, Milperra, Condell Park and parts of Bankstown.

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