Labor Party won’t contest upcoming Warrandyte by-election

The favourite tipped to retain the historically Liberal seat has slammed Labor’s decision not to put up a candidate, claiming it demonstrates the party’s “neglect” of the area.

Labor will not contest the Warrandyte by-election, with the party deciding not to run for the seat vacated by outgoing Liberal Ryan Smith.

Government MPs were told on Wednesday morning about the decision.

Warrandyte has typically been a safe seat for the Liberals but there was speculation Labor could contest the seat given recent strong results in Melbourne’s east, including in the federal seat of Aston.

But it’s understood Labor figures were reluctant to spend the significant investment needed to campaign in the seat, with tighter donation laws making it more difficult to raise back the money spent.

The move means Nicole Tai-Ei Werner is now the frontrunner as the Liberal candidate.

Mr Smith made the shock announcement that he was quitting politics earlier and his resignation was officially lodged on July 7.

The seat has been vacated by Ryan Smith.

Nicole Ta-Ei Werner is now the Warrandyte frontrunner.

Tony Barry, director of polling firm RedBridge and a former Liberal strategist, said the government’s cancellation of the Commonwealth Games may also have discouraged Labor to test the public reaction to the move.

“This government is now stepping on its own landmines,” he said.

“In our research, the current political landscape in Victoria is dominated by cost-of-living pressures which are fuelled by pervasive concerns about individual financial and employment insecurities.

“What isn’t playing well for Labor is that when people are anxious about their own financial situation, they see a government appearing to be panicking and chaotic about its own financial circumstance.

“One of Daniel Andrews’ legacy political strengths has been making people feel safe and secure, but this (Commonwealth Games) decision undermines those perceptions.

“Labor now has a lot of work to do to convince people this is a calm and prudent response and not a proof point of a worsening state economy.”

Senior Liberal MP Matt Bach said Labor’s absence didn’t mean the party was guaranteed to retain the seat.

“By-elections are always really hard fought contests,” he said.

“We’re focused on running the strongest possible campaign that we can.”

Dr Bach said he was disappointed that Ms Werner wont come up against a Labor candidate.

“It’s very disappointing but it’s not surprising given the Andrews Labor government has sent Victoria broke and humiliated us on the world stage,” he said.

“I think the people of Warrandyte deserve a contest. We’re certainly not taking it for granted. No matter what the Labor Party, the Liberals will continue to run as hard as we can – on the ground, every single day.”

The by-election will be held on August 26.

It was expected to be a major test of John Pessuto’s leadership, with a loss in the electorate likely to spark a backlash from his own MPs.

Although Greens, independent and minor party candidates have nominated, the Liberals will be heavy favourites to retain the seat.

Ms Werner, who ran for the Liberals in Box Hill at the state election, beat out former IPA executive director John Roskam and 22-year-old law student Antonietta Di Cosmo for preselection.

Ms Werner said Labor’s decision not to run a candidate “demonstrates their neglect of our community”.

“It shows that they are not interested in listening to, or acting on, the issues and concerns of local residents in the electorate,” she said.

Ms Werner said cost-of-living relief was top of her agenda and that she was committed to fighting for lower taxes, fees and charges.