Labor candidate Terri Butler set to claim victory in Griffith but PM Tony Abbott says it’s not an endorsement of Opposition Leader Bill Shorten

LABOR candidate Terri ­Butler is set to claim victory in Griffith but Prime Minister Tony Abbott says it’s a good result for LNP candidate Bill Glasson.

LABOR candidate Terri ­Butler is the likely winner in Griffith but Prime Minister Tony Abbottt yesterday called the by-election a “fine result for Bill Glasson and a poor result for Bill Shorten”.

With 10,000 votes left to count, Ms Butler yesterday declared she was confident of victory despite LNP candidate Dr Bill Glasson refusing to concede defeat.

Dr Glasson secured 43 per cent of the primary vote compared with Ms Butler’s 39 per cent, with a swing of just under 1 per cent to the LNP on two-party preferred.

Ms Butler attributed Dr Glasson’s broad public profile and her short campaign as reasons for the Government picking up more votes than at the federal election.

“What we saw in this electorate was a high-profile candidate, someone who had a national profile, someone whom if you listened to Tony Abbott describe him, you could be forgiven for thinking he was St Bill instead of Dr Bill,’’ she said.

“I was preselected on the 14th of December. I campaigned a week before Christmas and then I campaigned during the election period of 33 days (and) I was unknown prior to the election period.

“It’s a result that says, not withstanding Tony Abbott’s star candidate, people have had enough of the secrecy and people are deeply concerned about the LNP cuts.”

Ms Butler confirmed she would be a different MP to Mr Rudd.

“I’m clearly a different type of person to Kevin Rudd and I’m also someone who can be a fresh voice for the future,’’ she said.

Mr Abbott said the swing proved Opposition Leader Bill Shorten’s negative campaigning was not working.

“The Griffith by-election was a clear rejection of the negative scare campaign undertaken by the Labor Party,” he said.

Dr Glasson said the result indicated there was some work for the Abbott Government.

“The message is people want to know before you do something, while you’re doing it, and after you’ve done it,” he said.