State election: Labor landslide claims Burwood, Ringwood and potentially Box Hill

Labor’s dominance in the election has brought a massive shake-up to the political landscape in Whitehorse, with the results indicating the Liberals will likely lose hold of three of the municipalities’ four seats.

Liberal Robert Clark has almost conceded the seat after a 26-year stranglehold on Box Hill. Picture: Steve Tanner

Labor’s dominance in the election has brought a massive shake-up to the political landscape in Whitehorse, with the results as of Sunday afternoon indicating the Liberals would likely lose three of the municipalities’ four seats.

In a huge shock, Labor looked likely to win Box Hill, after a 26-year stranglehold on the seat by Liberal MP Robert Clark.

On the back of a 30-year streak as an MP, Mr Clark was close to conceding to Labor candidate Paul Hamer on Sunday.

ANGRY SMOKER GUILTY OVER SURGEON’S DEATH

MAN JAILED FOR ATTEMPTED ICE IMPORT

Mr Clark told Whitehorse Leader: “It seems highly likely that Mr Hamer will be elected, in which case I congratulate him.”

Mr Clark said Mr Hamer would bear “a heavy responsibility to stand up for the community against” the Government’s push for overdevelopment and pubs and pokie venues.

“Mr Hamer will also need to fight to ensure that the government does not trash the amenity of the neighbourhood when removing the Union Rd and Mont Albert Rd level crossings, as they did in Blackburn,” he said.

Liberal Robert Clark has almost conceded the seat after a 26-year stranglehold on Box Hill. Picture: Steve Tanner

But Mr Hamer said while he was feeling “hopeful” on Sunday afternoon, he “certainly” wouldn’t be quitting his day job yet.

He said the Andrews Government’s success was indicative of Labor’s infrastructure agenda.

In Burwood, Liberal MP Graham Watt appears close to losing his seat to Labor’s Will Fowles. Mr Watt did not respond to Whitehorse Leader’s request for comment, but told the Herald Sun his party had run a campaign that had not worked.

“There’ll be some soul searching when it comes to how the campaign was run and how we can do better,” Mr Watt said.

Mr Fowles said he was “absolutely” claiming the win on Sunday.

He said he was “grateful and honoured to be the new member for Burwood”.

ANOTHER ILLEGAL BROTHEL SHUT DOWN

NEIGHBOURS WIN FIGHT AGAINST ‘OVERPOWERING’ APARTMENTS

SECURITY BOOST AFTER SMASH AND GRAB

It appeared Ringwood Liberal MP Dee Ryall would also lose her seat, telling Whitehorse Leader she was “disappointed”, but was “humbled and honoured to have served as MP”.

She took to Facebook to congratulate Labor candidate Justin Halse.

Mr Halse did not respond to Whitehorse Leader, but claimed the win on Facebook and thanked voters.

But amid the red carnage, Neil Angus appears certain to retain Forest Hill for the Liberals.

Mr Angus said while the results obviously had not been finalised, he thought he would “sneak back over the line”.

But he said he would be “taking a haircut on the numbers”, having achieved a 49.71 per cent and 48.62 per cent majority in 2014 and 2010.

He said Andrews Government being re-elected was “very disappointing for the party”.

“It was a complete disaster,” he said.