Federal election 2022: Matt Gregg, Michael Sukkar compete for Deakin votes
Up against a ‘behemoth’ Coalition campaign, Ringwood lawyer Matt Gregg has achieved a 5.5 per cent swing towards Labor in the seat of Deakin and remains ahead in the vote count. Read the latest.
Leader
Don't miss out on the headlines from Leader . Followed categories will be added to My News.
ALP supporters will celebrate the shift away from the Coalition in the seat of Deakin no matter what the official result when the last votes are counted.
On Sunday afternoon, Labor’s Matt Gregg was 1,286 votes ahead of Liberal incumbent Michael Sukkar, with the two candidate preferred vote sitting at 50.85 – 49.15 at 5pm.
Mr Gregg told an adoring crowd at Heatherdale Bowls Club on Saturday night: “Deakin’s gonna be red again – it’s just a matter of when”.
“Regardless of the outcome, this is a win,” Mr Gregg said.
“If we don’t get it [the seat] this time, we’ll get it next time.”
Campaign volunteers from their early 20s to late 80s celebrated the swing towards Labor in the long-held Liberal seat.
“I was partying the night Gough (Whitlam) got elected – this has a similar feel,” Vermont grandfather of seven David said.
“It’s a change in the mood of the whole country.
“Everyone’s desperate for a reduction in corruption and misuse of public funds.
“People are hoping for a restoration of decency in the political process.”
Sheldon Gait, 23, and Adam Steiner, 22, of Nunawading and Box Hill were excited to be part of “the movement”.
“It’s about believing in something better, creating a better country- together, not individually,” Adam said.
The ALP campaign ran on about a tenth of the budget of Sukkar’s, whose advertising dominated election day polling booths.
“We got 50 to 100ks into our legs out walking delivering flyers – we couldn’t afford to post them like he (Sukkar) did,” David said.
If Mr Gregg maintains his lead, it will be only the third time in history the seat has been held by Labor.
Mr Sukkar was contacted for comment.
Labor feels the love
Labor supporters were feeling the love in the seat of Deakin on election day, crossing their fingers that the desire for change would be strong enough to boot out the Liberal incumbent after nine years
At Kalinda Primary School principal Shaun McClare was happy to report voters wolfed down about 1000 democracy sausages thanks to the volunteer cooks of the parents and friends committee, who were delighted to be back out behind the barbecues after being kept away by Covid.
At Vermont Secondary College, we caught up with ALP candidate Matt Gregg who reported a warm reception from voters.
With a sunburnt face from spending all day out at the booths, Mr Gregg shook hands with many wellwishers on their way to the polls into the late afternoon, including the young son of a teacher who shyly approached to tell him: “I hope your team wins”.
Mr Gregg, a Ringwood teacher turned lawyer who did his first teaching placement at Vermont Secondary College, said he had enjoyed introducing himself to voters throughout the campaign and that things had remained civil between all the competing candidates – though he had seen no sign of One Nation candidate Natasha Coughlan or independent Qian Liu.
ALP campaigner and former Vermont Secondary College student Adam Rae, 22, said he’d always felt “frustrated” and “ashamed” to have Michael Sukkar as his local member because “he’s more involved in branch stacking and scandals on the news than in the community.”
Over at Great Ryrie Primary School, coalition campaign volunteers said they were under instructions not to speak to media.
We made several attempts to track down Mr Sukkar himself through his media team, to no avail.
Warranwood resident of 30 years and medical receptionist Deborah told us she voted for Sukkar and was “quietly confident” he would retain the seat because “he’s done a lot for the community in terms of the safety aspect for Ringwood and Warranwood”.
Greens supporters admitted it was unlikely their candidate Rob Humphreys would win the seat but said it was important to establish more of a base for the party beyond the inner city.
“They [The Greens] have got compassion for people and the planet,” said 16-year-old Bradley Watson of Ringwood of what motivated him to volunteer to hand out how to vote cards for the party.
“And they’re the only ones with policies for young people, the only ones thinking long-term instead of bandaid solutions,” added 19-year-old Reuben Steen.
Ringwood resident of 20 years Linda told us she was voting Greens to “send Michael Sukkar a message”.
“I’m a swing voter but I’m very much swinging to The Greens these days because of the environment,” Linda said.
“There’s other issues like housing and the NDIS, and they do need to be looked at too, but the environment affects everybody.”
Deakin ALP and Coalition supporters gathered to watch results come in at Heatherdale Bowls Club and Maroondah Federation Estate respectively.
Greens campaigners from several neighbouring electorates converged in Blackburn.
Rising stars make Dowling Shield impact
It was a stunning day of Dowling Shield action highlighted by centuries to Northcote and St Kilda young guns while a Richmond bowler claimed an impressive five-for. See who caught the eye.
Rising Victorian female cricket stars put on a show
There was a series of stunning matchwinning displays in the latest round of Victorian Premier Cricket’s Marg Jennings Cup and under-18 girls competition. See who stole the limelight.