Frank McGuire wins Broadmeadows
FRANK McGuire retained the Victorian seat of Broadmeadows for Labor, taking almost 54 per cent of the primary vote.
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FRANK McGuire said family pride figured in his election win last night.
McGuire retained the Victorian seat of Broadmeadows for Labor, taking almost 54 per cent of the primary vote.
"I'm excited and tired from everything that's happened," McGuire said last night.
"But it's an enormous privilege if you actually know what this means to my family and the other families that have grown up in this area.
"On a personal level, it's exciting and humbling."
Brighton-based, Broadmeadows-bred Mr McGuire is poised to become the highest-profile politician to enter State Parliament since Olympic skier Kirstie Marshall joined Labor in 2002, giving the Opposition some much-needed star power in the wake of Labor's election defeat last November.
He is the brother of broadcaster and Collingwood president Eddie McGuire.
The Liberal Party did not field a candidate in the by-election.
The Greens and Sex Party both fielded candidates alongside local contenders.
Speaking before the by-election, Mr McGuire told the Sunday Herald Sun he wanted to change the suburb that shaped his life for the better.
He said: "If I'm given the absolute privilege of becoming the Member for Broadmeadows, I'll have more of an interest in ideas, innovation, life-long learning, jobs and giving people a better quality of life."
In the lead-up to yesterday's by-election, there had been fears that constituents were confused as to why they had to vote for the third time in a year.
But the Victorian Electoral Commission said last night more than 20 per cent had voted by noon and crowds continued to flock to voting centres all afternoon.
The seat, a 46sq km stretch of Melbourne's north that takes in Roxburgh Park, Jacana and Glenroy, has been held by Labor since 1962.
Mr McGuire is considered a future minister by Labor powerbrokers.
But he will first have to learn the ropes from the backbench.