NSW Election 2019: Labor retains Bankstown, Canterbury and Lakemba
A surging vote for Labor’s Lakemba MP Jihad Dib is a feature of the 2019 NSW election in the Canterbury Bankstown region.
The Express
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A surging vote for Labor’s Lakemba MP Jihad Dib is a feature of the 2019 NSW Election in the Canterbury Bankstown region.
A total of 33,434 of formal votes was counted in Lakemba on Saturday night.
Labor’s education spokesman, Mr Dib, received 21,051 (59.25 per cent) of first preferences ahead of his Liberal opponent Rashid Bhuiyan on 7538 (21.2 per cent).
In 2015 Mr Dib received 57.30 per cent of first preferences, and Mr Bhuiyan 20.72 per cent.
In the Bankstown electorate 27,644 formal votes were counted on Saturday.
According to NSW Electoral Commission figures the former Banktown mayor, Labor’s Tania Mihailuk, received 15,105 (54.64 per cent) first preference votes, ahead of Canterbury Bankstown councillor, Liberal candidate George Zakhia with 8396 (30.37 per cent).
Also noteworthy was independent Saud Abu-Samen with 2473 first preferences (8.95 per cent).
Labor’s Sophie Cotsis, first elected at a 2016 by-election, has been returned as the member for Canterbury.
A total formal vote of 40,234 was counted on Saturday night in the electorate, with Ms Cotsis receiving 20,788 of first preferences (51.67 per cent) ahead of Liberal candidate Matt Harrison with 12,650 first votes (31.44 per cent).
Linda Eisler, a Greens councillor on Canterbury Bankstown council, received 4678 first preferences (11.63 per cent).
Bankstown Labor MP Tania Mihailuk said she was humbled and honoured to be re-elected.
The former Bankstown Mayor has been campaigning against the Sydney Metro Southwest in its present plans and is the Opposition spokeswoman for Planning.
“Whatever happens, we have to make sure the money is not wasted on projects that have no benefits on the community like the stadiums,” Ms Mihailuk told the Express.
Ms Mihailuk thanked her family, friends, party faithful and all my supporters for helping her to be re-elected.
“I am humbled and honoured to represent the community I love for another four years,” Ms Mihailuk said.
“I’m disappointed that we did not form government but just like my son went out on Sunday, to kick a few goals I will keep fighting!
“I will hold this government to account on their promises ($1.3 billion hospital in Bankstown and no guarantee it will not privatised) and I will continue to demand that they not neglect our community and that they must install easy access lifts, reinstate the Bankstown via Regents Park service, invest in our local schools, sporting, road and community infrastructure.
“I will fight the government at every step on their overdevelopment agenda, especially in south west Sydney.
“ Why should our community bear the brunt of overdevelopment yet be expected to take three connecting train services into the city when we are only 20km away.
“The campaign was quite unnecessarily nasty but that’s not surprising.
“I’ll leave that for another today.
“I especially want to thank my supporters who stood at booths and at pre-polls.
“Thank you to my mum, my brother, my husband, my fantastic and hard working staff (former staff too), branch and community members and especially my beautiful children who had to endure hearing horrible things from other party booth workers but nevertheless were so resilient.
“Once again thank you.”
“People are very angry about the money being spent on the stadiums.
“They want to stop the privatisation because we have to plan for the future, not sell off our assets.
“I am very grateful to the community for their support and I had a very positive reaction from them today.”
Her Liberal rival George Zakhia said he was very positive things are changing towards Liberal this time.
“I am very confident this time as I can see from the peoples’ reaction when they came to vote,” said Mr Zakhia at the Yagoona Community Centre voting booth.
“There is a big difference this time because a lot of people asked for how to vote Liberal leaflets (at the voting areas).”
Long-time Bankstown local Stanley Whippy voted for Labor because he is fed up with the increasing road tolls and stadium demolition by the Coalition Government.
However, he said the rest of his family voted for the Liberals.
“I voted Labor also because the government is taxing us on the M5 and M4 but the others in my family voted for Liberals,” Mr Whippy told the Express after casting his vote at Yagoona Community Centre.
“I don’t know why the government is spending so much money on the stadiums instead of just upgrading them and using the money to take the tolls away from the M5 and M4.
“You have give credit to the government for doing the roads and hospitals but they are not being honest with everything.
“I won’t vote for independents because they can ruin a good issue like they did for the GST.”
Yagoona local Huy Phan said he had voted Labor because he wants lower electricity prices and lower cost of living.
“I am not happy with everything going up in price while also parking is a big problem here,” Mr Phan said.
CANDIDATES IN THE BALLOT ORDER:
Saud Abu-Samen (Independent); George Zakia (Liberals); Tania Mihailuk (Labor); James Rooney (The Greens).
2015 RESULTS
Tania Mihailuk Tania, Labor 24,170 56.33 %
George Zakhia, Liberal 13,40831. 25 %
Juliat Nasr, Christian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group) 1,8134. 23 %
Oscar Grenfell 5011. 17 %
Jeremy Lawrance, No Land Tax Campaign 1,113 2.59 %
Luke Poliszcuk 1,903 4.44 %
CANTERBURY
Sitting Labor MP Sophie Cotsis said she is confident she will be re-elected.
A cancer sufferer, Ms Cotsis said she visited all the booths in the area.
“The people of Canterbury have overwhelmingly voted in support of me to continue my vision for our community,” Ms Cotsis told the Express.
“First and foremost is my commitment to fight for more funding and investment at Canterbury Hospital, better schools and to continue to fight against the further overdevelopment of our community,” she said.
Matt Harrison, standing in for his election as the Liberal candidate, said he is in for the long run, having benefited from the experience.
“It was a big learning experience and I am excited about what’s happening next,” Mr Harrison, 24, told the Express.
“It was a very positive experience and I visited all 22 voting booths today.
“It was a very long day but I got through it well.
“Regarding the possible outcome of the election, let’s see what the voters want.
“I really wouldn’t change anything I could have done.”
“The support I got from the voters was very encouraging and a morale booster.
“I am very thankful to my volunteers.
Ms Cotsis won the seat in the 2016 by-election with 65.5 per cent of primary vote, with Branka Kouroushis of the Christian Democratic Party second, with 19.6 per cent.
The 2015 election was won by Labor’s Linda Burney with 50.2 per cent of the primary vote.
CANDIDATES IN THE BALLOT ORDER:
Matt Harrison (Liberal); Linda Eisler (The Greens); Fatima Figueira (Christian DemocraticParty-Fred Nile Group); Sophie Cotsis (sitting member, Labor)
LAKEMBA
Dib, the Labor MP for Lakemba, said he could not thank his 300-odd volunteers enough for doing so much for this campaign.
“We really had a good vibe and a very positive reinforcement of our policies,” the former Punchbowl High School principal said.
“I am very humbled by the support I have received and the faith my electorate has shown in me.
“I will continue to be a very strong voice in the NSW Parliament standing up for our community ”
“I am disappointed that we were not able to achieve Government but determined to ensure that our area is not ignored and election promises that were made, are fulfilled.
“Ours is an amazing part of NSW and I am honoured to once again, advocate on behalf of all our citizens; for better public services and opportunities for our community”
“People came up to me and said they voted for me (on Saturday) and I really appreciate this.
“We have a lovely community spirit and I hope I can continue my work for the area.”
Mr Dib is the Opposition spokesman for Education.
His Liberal opponent Rashid Bhuiyan was uncontactable on Saturday.
LIST OF CANDIDATES:
Dib (sitting member, Labor); Omar Najjar (Keep Sydney Open); Emmet de Bhaldraithe (The Greens); Karl Schubert (CDP- Fred Nile Party); Rashid Bhuiyan (Liberal); Dorlene Abou Haidar (Animal Justice Party).
2015 RESULTS
Dib, Labor, 25,638, 57.30 %
Rashid Bhuiyan, Liberal 9,271, 20.72 %
George El-Dahr CDP (Fred Nile Group) 5,728, 12.80 %
Chris Garvin, The Greens 3,348, 7.48 %
Yahya Chehab, No Land Tax Campaign 757, 1.69 %
TOTAL FORMAL VOTES: 44,742.
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