Labor’s thumping election victory delivers it twice as many seats as the state opposition

Labor will have twice the number of votes in the Legislative Assembly as the state Opposition, with the final marginal seat results finally being declared.

Labor will have double the number of votes than the state Opposition has in the Legislative Assembly, as the ALP’s candidate declares a “historic” victory in once blue-riband Hawthorn.

The Andrews Government will have at least 55 seats in the lower house, but could still snare the seat of Ripon in Victoria’s west with the result down to the wire.

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Shadow-Attorney-General and Hawthorn MP John Pesutto has lost his seat. Picture: Janine Eastgate

The other seats still in doubt include Benambra in the state's north — which is likely to be held by Liberal MP Bill Tilly to give the Coalition its 27th seat in parliament.

Hawthorn was also a close contest, but last night Labor’s John Ormond Kennedy — an ex-naval officer who lives in a retirement village — declared victory over Liberal leadership candidate John Pesutto.

Mr Kennedy posted on Twitter last night that he was “extremely humbled” for the “historic result”, and promised to “work hard every day to repay the faith put in me”.

It's extremely humbling to be the new member for #Hawthorn. I want to thank all my supporters who did so much to help achieve this historic result. My promise is to work hard every day to repay the faith put in me. I wish John Pesutto all the very best for the future.

— John Ormond Kennedy (@OrmondKennedy) December 4, 2018

The Greens have snared three lower house seats meaning they will break even in the Legislative Assembly despite a horror campaign and the likely loss of four upper house seats.

Independents won three seats, including incumbent Suzanna Sheed in Shepparton and former Nationals MP Russell Northe in Morwell.

Mildura has also gone independent again — after being held by Russell Savage from 1999 to 2006 — with former Labor candidate and two-time deputy mayor Ali Cupper defeating Nationals MP Peter Crisp.

Final counting in Ripon, Hawthorn and Benambra continues, with all results to be finalised by Monday and the return of writs on December 15.

The first day of the 59th State Parliament is likely to be held on December 18.

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