State Election 2018: Dustin Halse defeats Dee Ryall in Ringwood upset

Maroondah’s three state seats have had a major shake up with Labor storming to success in Saturday’s state election and dumping a veteran Liberal MP from office.

Maroondah’s three state seats have had a major shake up with Labor storming to success in Saturday’s state election.

Ringwood has a new representative with Labor’s Dustin Halse claiming victory over Liberal MP Dee Ryall in a shock upset.

As of today, Mr Halse had secured a 7.7 per cent swing, eclipsing Ms Ryall’s 5.1 per cent buffer.

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The result was a stunning achievement for Labor after its original Ringwood candidate Steve Kent quit the election race just weeks after he was preselected in June.

Mr Halse, who was announced as Labor’s new candidate in September, did not return calls from Maroondah Leader over the result.

Labor’s Dustin Halse will be Ringwood’s new MP following an upset win in Saturday’s state election. Picture: Ian Currie

But in a post on his Facebook page on Saturday night, he said Ringwood “finally has a voice”.

“I will not spend my time sitting in an office in Spring St — I will be active in, I will listen to and I will work hard for our community,” he wrote.

Ms Ryall, first elected as the former Mitcham MP in 2010, told Leader she was “disappointed” but was “humbled and honoured to have served as MP”.

In a post on her Facebook page, which has since been closed down, she thanked the Ringwood community for their support.

Former Ringwood state Liberal MP Dee Ryall, who lost her seat in Saturday’s state election.

“I’ve always respected the will of the people and I leave this role having learned so much from you all,” she wrote.

Meanwhile, long-serving Bayswater Liberal MP Heidi Victoria could also be booted from office, with her seat still too close to call.

Ms Victoria, elected in 2006, had her 4.6 per cent buffer slashed by Labor’s Jackson Taylor. She led by 72 votes on a two-party preferred basis this afternoon.

Mr Taylor had been campaigning for less than a month after being rushed in as a last-minute replacement for fellow Knox councillor Peter Lockwood.

Croydon Liberal MP David Hodgett is likely to hold on to his seat despite a huge scare from Labor’s Josh Cusack.

Mr Hodgett, who had a 9.3 per cent margin, did not claim victory when contacted by Maroondah Leader on Sunday afternoon.

Mr Cusack had secured a 7.1 per cent swing to Labor with 72 per cent of votes counted.

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