Liberal candidate Owen Guest refuses to concede Melbourne Ports

MORE than two weeks after the election, Melbourne Ports Liberal candidate Owen Guest has refused to concede defeat, despite the sitting Labor MP claiming victory.

MORE than two weeks after the election, Melbourne Ports Liberal candidate Owen Guest has refused to concede defeat.

It comes as incumbent Labor MP Michael Danby released a lengthy statement claiming victory in the marginal battleground seat.

Dr Guest holds a healthy lead in the primary votes with 41.9 per cent, ahead of Mr Danby (26.9 per cent) and The Greens candidate Steph Hodgins-May (23.9 per cent), and has refused to concede defeat in the July 2 poll until every vote has been counted.

Michael Danby currently has 51.4 per cent of the two-party preferred to Dr Guest’s 48.6 per cent.

Incumbent Labor MP Michael Danby.

Liberal candidate Owen Guest.

“There are still about 5000 votes to be counted between postals and absentees … we won’t concede until the (count) is finished,” Dr Guest said.

“I don’t want to be the first-ever Member of Parliament to have conceded he’s lost, and then win.”

Dr Guest said he was proud of the campaign he had run, which saw a 0.85 per cent swing to the Liberal Party on first preference votes, but the “really tight” contest had left him “gnashing my teeth” as he waited for the final votes to be counted.

He said he wasn’t surprised the contest had been close.

“There has been a mood for change (in the electorate),” Dr Guest said.

“Michael Danby has been the MP since 1998 but if you’re out on the street and talking with people, it’s a common occurrence to find people saying he has been there too long.”

But Mr Danby released a statement saying it was “beyond any doubt” he would retain the seat.

He took a swipe at The Greens, saying they “failed to make any significant gains” in Melbourne Ports, despite a 3.71 per cent swing towards Ms Hodgins-May.

Mr Danby suffered a 4.73 per cent swing against him.

“With only a few thousand votes left to count, neither the Liberal nor (The Greens) party candidates can usurp Labor’s lead,” Mr Danby’s statement said.

Ms Hodgins-May has been contacted for comment.