Victorian Election 2014: Live coverage
LIVE STREAM: THE Napthine Government has been defeated after just one term in power, making way for Daniel Andrews to be the next Premier of Victoria.
DANIEL Andrews has claimed victory in the state election, dismissing the Napthine Government after just one term in power.
The ALP is likely to hold up to 48 seats, holding a clear majority, including a sweep of the sandbelt seats including Frankston and Mordialloc.
Voters have sent a clear message to the Coalition that they were not happy, with swings against the government all over the state.
Mr Andrews said his government would usher in a better age of better health and education management.
“Just a short while ago I spoke to Denis Napthine and he conceded that Labor will form a strong and stable majority government in Victoria.
“On behalf of all Victorians I want to thank Denis Napthine for his gracious concessison.
“People of Victoria have today said no to tired, negative politics. They have instead embraced a positive and optimistic plan for our sate’s future.”
Dr Napthine said he had called to congratulate Mr Andrews, despite a large number of early and postal votes yet to be counted.
“The figures clearly indicate that there has been a swimg to the Labor Party and that they will have a majority in the legislative assembly,” he said.
“I am extremely proud to have had the honour... to be the premier of this great state of Victoria.
“This is the greatest state in the best country in the world, and I’m particularly proud that today, in 2014, Victoria is a better, stronger, more financially secure state than when we came to government four years ago.”
The four sand belt seats, including Bentleigh, Mordialloc, Carrum and Frankston, look set to fall to Labor.
Labor is also close to snatching the seat of Prahran, and appeared likely to hold the seats of Yan Yean, Cranbourne and Eltham.
It also polled strongly in the key regional areas and looked set to hold seats in Ballarat, Geelong and Bendigo.
However, in another upset, the Greens look likely to take the seats of Melbourne and possibly Richmond from Labor.
Former Premier Steve Bracks said he expected Labor to make a clean sweep of the sandbelt region.
“I believe Daniel Andrews is going to be the next premier of Victoria,” Mr Bracks told the ABC.
Senior Liberal sources also conceded those seats were gone, and that Labor was likely to end up with a majority of several seats.
Both leaders spent the day targeting voters in marginal seats, as they had done throughout a tough campaign.
Dr Napthine said while the Coalition had the best plan to deliver strong economic management, whatever the final result he would respect voters’ choice.
“It’s going to be a close election, but that’s what democracy’s about, the people having their choice and we’ll all accept the will of the people,” he said.
Mr Andrews also said it would be a close contest.
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“I’ve never taken anything in my life for granted and I certainly won’t take the people of Victoria for granted,” he said.
Exit polling late yesterday suggested Labor was marginally ahead of the Coalition, but the government had made up late ground.
The East West Link shaped as one of the most important issues ahead of the election, after Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews promised to dump the project despite contracts being signed.
But Labor’s policies of removing 50 level crossings, and for big boosts for TAFE, were proving popular with many voters.
Before the election, Labor held 43 seats, the Coalition 44, and rogue MP Geoff Shaw the remaining seat in the 88-seat Legislative Assembly.
With a slight swing to Labor, if it picked up just two extra seats and held all others it would take government.
This year, at least 1.14 million voters cast ballots before yesterday, meaning counting to occur today and on Monday will be crucial to determining results in knife-edge seats.
Former premier John Brumby said he expected early voters to have favoured Labor.
“It’s going to be extremely unlikely they will favour the Coalition,” he said.
Another former premier, Liberal Jeff Kennett, agreed that a slight advantage to Labor from pre-polling was likely.
Not sure who to vote for? Meet your local candidates:
HOW THE DAY UNFOLDED:
6PM: Voting has closed across the state.
5.45PM: Betting website sportsbet.com.au has Labor paying $1.19 for a win, while the Coalition’s chances of victory are at $4.50.
5PM: The countdown is on for the last hour of the campaign - just one hour to go - get to your local polling booth. Find it here. FAST.
4.42PM: A sad update here from reporter Andrew Jefferson, affecting a volunteer’s life in Ballarat.
A Liberal volunteer handing out ‘how to vote’ cards learnt of the death of his brother while volunteering at a Ballarat polling booth, says Ballarat resident Justin “Hap” Hayward.
Mr Hayward was working for the Greens when he got into conversation with the elderly Liberal volunteer, who was bemoaning the state of society today.
“An hour later he gets a phone call that his brother has passed away,” Mr Hayward posted on Facebook.
“He tells me and the Labor guy this and then he sits down as more people come towards the booth.
“The Labor guy hands out his Liberal stuff with his Labor stuff while the man takes some time out. A very human moment.”
4.30PM: In case you’ve forgotton what might happen in the hands of Labor, here’s Daniel Andrews’ “positive” vision for the future. And should our Premier stay at the helm, here’s what will we can expect from Dr Napthine (in his own words)
4.26PM: A record 1.1 million pre-poll votes won’t be counted until Monday so unless there is a clear winner on Saturday night, there could be a tense wait for party leaders to find out what Victorians decided. A Victorian Electoral Commission spokeswoman says first results will start trickling through about 7pm, but couldn’t say how many votes had been cast because of the manual roll-marking system. “We’re on track for a good night and hopefully a clear result,” she says.
4.18PM: The Victorian public could know the result of the state election within hours - but if it’s close, the result could still take days.
4.07PM: QUICK fact time: About 2.5 million people will cast their votes by the end of play at 6pm, and a record 1.1 million have already lodged a pre-poll.
4PM: OUT and about this afternoon in a bid to secure more last minute votes, Denis Napthine urged voters to consider their options and vote for a stable coalition with a strong track record. “It’s going to be a close election, but that’s what democracy’s about, the people having their choice and we’ll all accept the will of the people,” he says. The coalition has 44 seats in Victoria’s 88-seat parliament, Labor has 43, with one independent.
3.53PM: While doing some last minute spruiking this afternoon, Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews says he wouldn’t be taking anything for granted, despite early exit polls suggesting a Labor victory. “I’ve never taken anything in my life for granted and I certainly won’t take the people of Victoria for granted.”
3.49PM: Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten voted at Essendon, where he stopped to criticise Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s absence on the campaign trail, saying “wild horses” couldn’t drag him to Victoria.
“What Victorians want when they deal with Tony Abbott is a premier who is in their corner, someone who will take their orders from Victorians,” he told reporters.
“Daniel Andrews is that man and I hope that in our close election today, that he will be successful.”
3.45PM: LAST-ditch campaigning has ramped up at polling booths as a state election result inches closer. Premier Denis Napthine and Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews voted in their own electorates in the morning before hitting the road to chat to voters. Both say the race is tight, though polls indicate Labor could retake government after only one term in opposition.
3.20PM: AT least one formal complaint has been made to the Victorian Electoral Commission about bad behaviour at state polling booths. Prahran Labor candidate Neil Pharaoh says a complaint has been lodged after a Liberal volunteer allegedly swore at a Labor volunteer.
Mr Pharaoh says the volunteer wasn’t able to continue. The VEC couldn’t confirm whether they had received any complaints, but says any that have been lodged will be reviewed by the commission.
2.50PM: STRATEGISTS are confident Labor has won a clear majority among early voters, but the party has been angered by the decision of the Greens to issue open how-to-vote cards in key electorates, reports Samantha Maiden.
2.19PM: LOOKING at preferences in Melbourne, reporter Michelle Ainsworth finds the Greens have Labor at 2, while Labor has the Greens at 4, behind Animal Justice and Voice for the West See the ballot papers here.
2.30PM: FORMER Prime Minister John Howard has urged Victorians to stick with the Coalition, reports Andrew Jefferson.
Speaking in Shepparton at a launch for his new book on Australia’s longest-serving prime minister, Robert Menzies, Mr Howard questioned why Victorians would risk their much-envied economic prosperity by switching to Labor.
“It’s in the hands of the people, I hope it’s the Napthine/Ryan Government, I think they deserve to be reeelected,” Mr Howard said.
“I don’t want to give a policy speech but they’ve got the best budget of any State Government in Australia and I don’t want to see this state handed over to somebody who is beholden to the thugs of the CFMEU.”
2.07PM: AFTER a busy start, voting is running smoothly and making good progress.
A spokesman for the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) said there had been queuing in some areas due to the morning rush, but that had now settled down.
“A lot of people turned out early, as we expected, so there are some queues in areas but they will thin out,” he said. “The afternoon is the sweet spot.”
The spokesman was unable to provide exact numbers of how many people had voted so far due to the rolls being marked off by hand, but he said progress is good.
Victorians have until 6pm to vote.
1.49PM: If you haven’t already had lunch, here’s where to get your barbie fix.
1.26PM: The Greens arehanding out How to Vote cards in Sandbelt.
1.18PM: REPORTER Michelle Ainsworth is in Brunswick, in Melbourne’s inner north, checking out the vibe. She found Labor preferenced the Greens but Greens have Labor at 4 below an Independant, who makes fermented tea, & Animal Justice - see her Twitpic here
1.08PM: Labor is set to win today’s state election in Victoria, according to polls. However, the latest polls reveal Premier Denis Napthine is the preferred premier.
But Labor holds a 52 per cent to 48 per cent lead on a two-party-preferred basis.
1.06PM: Dr Napthine was joined by his wife Peggy as he cast his vote
12.45PM: BOTH the major party leaders have joined Victorians in casting their votes. Both Premier Denis Napthine and Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews agree the race will be close. Dr Napthine voted this morning at Port Fairy in his southwest Coast seat.
12.05PM: STATE politics reporter Annika Smethurst has been talking to voters in Frankston, and has Labor ahead in the marginal seat.
Noon: OPPOSITION Leader Daniel Andrews and wife Catherine have cast their vote at Albany Rise Primary School in Mulgrave.
10.45AM: PREMIER Denis Napthine has hit the hustings early as he campaigns to the last minute in his home electorate in Portland. He stopped his media rounds to check on a young koala’s condition on the side of the road. Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews is due to vote in Mulgrave about 11am.
9.45AM: THE sausage sizzle is synonymous with election day, and schools and churches across Victoria will be cooking up a storm today. Find out where to get your barbie fix.
9AM: PREMIER Denis Napthine has gained ground in the past two days but Labor is still marginally ahead in the state election race, a new poll shows. But the outcome of today’s election may not be known for days. Meanwhile the Coalition and ALP have outlined their plans for the next term of government, should they win.
INTERACTIVE: ALL KEY PROMISES FROM EACH PARTY
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