Peter Dutton’s leadership call after shock by-election result

Peter Dutton is facing questions over his role as Liberal leader after a humilating result in the Aston by-election.

Peter Dutton had conceded he has “failed the test” set by Victorian voters but defiantly signalled he plans to stay on as leader.

Speaking after the historic defeat in the seat of Aston, the Liberal leader said he had no intention of standing aside amid speculation his deputy Sussan Ley could be a future leader.

“I accept responsibility and I’m the leader of the party. I was there last night to do that. I agreed to come onto the show this morning knowing that if you win, lose or draw, you need to front up,’’ Mr Dutton said on ABC’s Insiders this morning.

During the interview, host David Speers pointed out that Malcolm Turnbull said the Longman by-election was a test of his leadership and when the vote went backwards that Mr Dutton challenged him for the leadership.

“Last night was far worse for the Liberal Party in the Aston by-election. Why should you stay as leader?’’ Speers asked.

“Well, I didn’t challenge him for the leadership. Malcolm resigned as leader, but that’s ancient history,’’ Mr Dutton said.

“Should you stay as leader?’’ Speers then asked.

Peter Dutton has defended his role as Liberal leader after the party’s humilating loss in the Aston by-election. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“Of course I should,’’ Mr Dutton said.

“I can tell you it makes me more determined to rebuild this party and be in a winning position by 2025.

Mr Dutton was also grilled on the furore over transgender rights in Victoria that was sparked by recent protests and a failed attempt to expel the Liberal candidate Moira Deeming.

“I won’t tolerate discrimination on the basis of their gender, sex, colour, anything,’’ Mr Dutton said.

“I don’t think MPs should be going to anti-anything rallies, to be honest.”

Mr Dutton said he would no stop asking questions about the Voice to Parliament despite the result.

“This is the biggest change proposed to the Australian Constitution since the Federation and the Prime Minister can’t answer basic questions,’’ he said.

Veteran journalist Niki Savva predicted that “a killing season” loomed for Mr Dutton at the end of the year.

“They are looking ahead to a few months’ time and I would suspect that after the Voice referendum, depending on what happens there, then we are probably into a killing season for the Liberals,” she told Insiders.

However other panellists, including the Australian Financial Review’s Phillip Coorey, said there were no obvious candidates including Sussan Ley and Angus Taylor who had the numbers.

Albo unleashes after Dutton’s humiliation

Anthony Albanese has unleashed on Dutton after his humiliating defeat in the Aston by-election in Victoria for always saying “no”, as he hailed the Labor candidate Mary Doyle’s compassion and decency.

It is a once in a century victory for Labor, delivering the rare outcome of an incumbent government securing a seat from the opposition.

The by-election was described by Labor as “a referendum” on Mr Dutton with the campaign focused on the Liberal leader.

Mr Albanese said the voters were sick and tired of the Coalition’s negativity and he said it was a vote of support for the Voice referendum and “a government run by adults.”

Anthony Albanese has unleashed on Peter Dutton after his humiliating defeat in Aston, described as a referendum on the Coalition. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

“After ten years of being part of the problem, Peter Dutton now fails to be a part of the solution,‘’ Mr Albanese said.

“He’s become an observer of Australian politics rather than a participant. He has said no to renewable energy and climate change action. On The Voice to Parliament and constitutional recognition, he’s not played a constructive role and everyone can see what is being played out there.”

Mr Albanese hailed Ms Doyle’s campaign for delivering the shock victory.

“Mary Doyle’s compassion, dignity and just common decency really shone through during the campaign,’’ he said.

“They voted for change.”

At 8.16pm, ABC election analyst Antony Green called the seat for Labor candidate Mary Doyle, who is on track to make history. The Labor candidate secured a swing of 6.5 per cent in early counting.

Liberal Party candidate Roshena Campbell conceded defeat soon after, with one strategist musing that local perceptions of “nastiness” within the party may have contributed to the upset.

At around 9pm, a grim-faced Dutton emerged, admitting it was “a tough night for the Liberal Party”.

Mr Albanese said Mr Dutton was a mere “observer of Australian politics”, not a participant. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Luis Ascui

Liberals labelled ‘nasty’ party

Strategist and pollster Tony Barry told the ABC coverage that what was coming out of the research was concerns the Liberal Party was “nasty”.

“Anthony Albanese is the chief spokesman for the Voice and at the moment his stocks are high. When the messenger is a good product it helps the message,‘’ he said.

“Opposing it, I think, is potentially a bit of a booby-trap for the Coalition. Not to say that there aren’t legitimate concerns about it but the perception from the electorate, the assessment, might be well, it is just the nasty party.

“The nasty party has come out of our research.

“Now it is, they are just a bit nasty. They have lost the brand of economic management.”

Liberal candidate Roshena Campbell failed to win the seat as the party was labelled the “nasty party”. Picture: David Crosling

Liberal candidate took seat after string of controversies

The Liberal candidate Roshena Campbell was parachuted into the seat after former Liberal frontbencher Alan Tudge resigned amid a string of controversies.

Worried Liberal MPs said Friday night they were still hopeful that postal votes could erode the Labor lead.

Early figures at 8pm Saturday suggested Labor was on track for victory.

“We always knew it was going to be close. Obviously early figures aren’t what we wanted to see,” Liberal frontbencher Dan Tehan said.

“The early figures aren’t great. I’m still hopeful. The early indications make you a little nervous.”

Ms Doyle secured a big swing when she ran at the last federal election against Mr Tudge.

The ALP said early swings were from booths in the north of the electorate with a large proportion of Australians with Chinese heritage who were strongly supportive of the new Albanese government.

“This was not the night Peter Dutton was hoping for,” Labor frontbencher Richard Marles said.

“The results are encouraging but there’s still a long way to go.”

Labor's Mary Doyle won the historic victory. Picture: ABC

Earlier, former Victorian Liberal state president Michael Kroger said he was confident the party would hold the seat.

“(Federal opposition leader Peter) Dutton is respected. Roshena Campbell is an outstanding candidate,” he said.

But by 8:15pm he conceded only a miracle could see the seat be retained by the Liberals.

Both Ms Campbell and the Labor candidate live outside of the electorate.

By 8:49pm the Liberal Party candidate Roshena Campbell had conceded defeat and contacted Ms Doyle to congratulate her on the victory.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed that he had spoken to Ms Doyle to congratulate her and would now travel to Melbourne in the morning to visit the electorate.

Ms Doyle referred to herself as the “underdog” in a gushing victory speech. Picture: ABC

‘Underdog’: Mary Doyle’s victory speech

A triumphant Ms Doyle took to the stage amid wild scenes from supporters and an introduction from Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles.

“You guys, wow,” she said.

“I am Mary Doyle. I’m a Suburban mum and I’ve lived in the outer eastern suburbs for more than 35 years and as of tonight, I guess I’ll be your next Member for Aston!”

Amid wild applause she thanked her family, volunteers and supporters.

“I think even our most optimistic true believers knew that I was the underdog in this campaign,” she said.

“What we were trying to do hadn’t been done for 100 years. And Aston hasn’t been Liberal since Sinead O’Connor’s Nothing compares 2 U.”

Mr Marles said Ms Doyle had delivered the Labor Party a victory for the history books.

“So soak it up. Not since the 1920 Kalgoorlie by-election has a sitting government won a seat from an opposition in a by-election. But tonight, Mary Doyle has done just that,” he said.

“We are going to work tirelessly to see our recognition of our First Nations people through a Voice to Parliament referendum later this year and when that happens it will be one of the great unifying moments for our nation.”

Liberal frontbencher Jane Hume called it a “sad result” for the Liberal Party.

‘Sad’ result for the Liberal Party

Liberal frontbencher Jane Hume said it was “a very sad result” for the Liberal Party.

“Roshena Campbell is, was, is such an extraordinary candidate, a professional woman who has a migrant background, articulate, apathetic, sympathetic and just exactly the kind of person we want to run for the Liberal Party,” she said.

“There was not baseball bats out for the opposition, certainly not baseball bats after the government either, but I don’t think that those cost of living pressures which were the number one issue we were hearing about when we were out there speaking to the residents of Aston, I don’t think people are associating the cost of living pressures they are feeling with the Albanese government.

“There are always a number of issues that come into play in a by-election in particular, a retiring member who was quite popular, he took the margin up to be under 10 per cent, and it came down at the last election, and probably swung back even more than the national average but he was still a popular local member so we have a new candidates with no name recognition.

“Mary Doyle was already out there from the last election so she had higher name recognition, she had already spoken to a number of electorates, so that played a big part in a government is still in its honeymoon period and that still is playing out.”

A grim-faced Mr Dutton admitted defeat. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Luis Ascui

‘A lot of work ahead’: Dutton

A grim-faced Peter Dutton emerged just after 9pm vowing to listen to the message that the voters of Aston had sent to the Liberal Party.

“It’s a tough night for the Liberal Party and our family here in Victoria,’’ he said.

“We have a lot of work ahead of us to listen to the messages sent to us today from the people are Aston. But listen to them we will.”

Ms Campbell said she wanted to give her profound thanks to the people of Aston.