Federal Election 2022: NSW live updates and results from key electorates
Scott Morrison has conceded the election to Labor leader Anthony Albanese, ending his almost four years as Prime Minister and said he would be handing over the leadership at the next party room meeting. FOLLOW OUR LIVE UPDATES
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It’s been a night when the rules of Australian politics have been rewritten but will finish with Anthony Albanese as our next prime minister.
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Federal election 2022 live: How every seat is falling in NSW
I WANT TO BRING AUSTRALIA TOGETHER
Anthony Albanese has claimed victory and will serve as Australia’s 31st Prime Minister, confident he will form a Labor government.
“I say to my fellow Australians, thank you for this extraordinary honour. Tonight the Australian people have voted for change,” he said.
“I am humbled by this victory. And I am honoured to be given the opportunity to serve as the 31st Prime Minister of Australia.”
Speaking to a raucous crowd - who Mr Albanese jokingly told to “behave” as supporters cheered and screamed - the new Prime Minister thanked outgoing PM Scott Morrison.
“Earlier tonight, Scott Morrison called me to congratulate myself and my team on our victory. Scott very graciously wished me well, and I thanked him for that. And I wish him well. And I thank him for the service he has given to our country as Prime Minister,” he said.
“I also want to acknowledge and thank Jenny Morrison and their two daughters for their contribution and sacrifice as well.”
Speaking to close to 900 devoted followers in Sydney’s inner west and joined by partner Jodie Haydon, unity and aspiration for Australians were key themes of the Labor leader’s speech.
“I want to find that common ground where together we can plant our dreams. To unite around
our shared love of this country, our shared faith in Australia’s future, our shared values of fairness and opportunity, and hard work and kindness to those in need,” he said.
“And I can promise all Australians this - no matter how you voted today, the government I lead will respect every one of you, every day.”
He pledged to end the “climate wars”, make Australia a renewable energy super power and to lift wages and profits.
“I want an economy that works for the people, not the other way around.”
ENDORSING DEVES A BIG MISTAKE
The pre selection of Katherine Deves was an incompetent decision and she should have been “disendorsed” over her controversial stance on transgenders in sport.
Speaking on the ABC’s election coverage, Liberal Simon Birmingham said “I think there was a fair bit of incompetence and I’m tempted to use other words” in relation to the party’s decision to enforce Ms Deves.
“The way she had framed those issues I suspect was not fully appreciated when she was selected,” Mr Birmingham said. “And that clearly became a dominant feature of the campaign.”
Asked if Ms Deves should have been disendorsed after her stance became a major issue in the campaign, Mr Birmingham said “yes”.
ALBANESE: I WANT TO UNITE THE COUNTRY
Australia’s next Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, is on his way to claim victory after Scott Morrison conceded the election.
Leaving his Marrickville home just after 11pm, Mr Albanese he wanted to unite the country.
“I think people want to come together, look for our common interests, look towards that sense of common purpose. I think people have had enough of division, what they want is to come together as a nation and I intend to lead that,” he said.
Anthony Albanese will become Australia’s 31st Prime Minister after more than 25 years in politics as the member for Grayndler in Sydney’s inner west.
MORRISON CONCEDES
Scott Morrison has conceded the election to Labor leader Anthony Albanese, ending his almost four years as Prime Minister and said he would be handing over the leadership at the next party room meeting.
“Tonight, I have spoken to the Leader of the Opposition, and the incoming Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, and I’ve congratulated on his election victory this evening,” he said.
In a solemn but hopeful speech to his supporters in Sydney, Mr Morrison opened by acknowledging the difficult result for the coalition.
With wife Jenny and two daughters by his side and his mother and mother-in-lawn there for support, Mr Morrison reflected on the “greatness” of Australian democracy in the face of war in Ukraine.
“I’ve always believed in Australians and their judgment, and I’ve always been prepared to accept their verdicts. And tonight, they have delivered their verdict, and I congratulate Anthony Albanese, and the Labor Party, and I wish him and his government all the very best,” he said.
“There are many prepolls and postals that will still come in. But I believe it very important that this country has certainty. I think it’s very important this country can move forward.”
Mr Morrison said he “still believes in miracles” mirroring his speech in 2019, this time instead of talking about victory, it was his family he considers a miracle.
Anthony Albanese will become Australia’s 31st Prime Minister after more than 25 years in politics as the member for Grayndler in Sydney’s inner west.
Mr Morrison said he would step down as leader of the Coalition and hand over the job as opposition leader to another at the next party room meeting.
Mr Morrison said his government had left the country in a stronger position than they found it, pointing to the unemployment rate and strong national defence.
As John Howard watched on from the crowd, Mr Morrison thanked the former PM and Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce, before launching a heartfelt message to Josh Frydenberg.
“Josh I can’t just call a friend, I can refer to him as a brother,” he said.
Mr Morrison gave his family hugs and kisses and thanked his supporters for the way they embraced ‘Jenny and the girls’.
Mr Morrison seemed humbled rather than emotional when conceding to Mr Albanese, full of smiles and a hope for the coalition to return to government in the future.“Australia is stronger as a result of our efforts over these last three terms. Over the next three years I have no doubt under strong leadership of our coalition, three years from now I am looking forward to the return of coalition government.”
PETA CREDLIN ON THE TEALS
“Climate 200 is the same agenda as the Greens with nicer handbags. It is a Green movement,” she said on Sky’s election coverage.
BENNELONG DOWN TO THE WIRE
Tennis legend John Alexander’s set of Bennelong will go down to the wife.
ABC analyst Antony Green said the Liberals’ Simon Kennedy and Labor’s Jerome Laxale were evenl;y split on the two party preferred vote for the seat once held by ex Prime Minister John Howard..
“At the moment, Simon Kennedy is on 41.3 and Jerome Laxale on 37.3,” Mr Green said. “Looking at the two-party preferred, you can see what we’re projecting is 50-50.”
PEOPLE WANT CHANGE - SCAMPS
Climate change was the issue that won for us tonight - People are desperate for urgent action on climate change,” said the new member for Mackeller Sophie Scamps.
“They’re desperate for a federal integrity commission, which the government has been running away from, and they’re desperate for health and mental health care and equity. We need to clean up the culture in Canberra and yes, the Liberal Party does have a women problem.
“My only duty is to be the voice and take our values down to Canberra. I am answerable only to the people of Mackellar. And we have been ignored and neglected and taken for granted for way too long. So it’s time to take our views, our voice our values to Canberra and we’re so excited to be able to do that.”
FRYDENBERG CONCEDES, SORT OF
“Firstly, as you know, there’s still thousands of postal votes to count,” Mr Frydenberg told a cheering crowd.
“So while it’s mathematically possible that we win in Kooyong, it’s definitely difficult,” he said.
“But while votes are still being counted, I wanted to take this opportunity to be here with (wife) Amy to say a few thank yous.
“Thank you to the people of Kooyong. Thank you to the people of Australia. Thank you to my party and to my colleagues. But most importantly, thank you to my family.”
“Mr Frydenberg also highlighted his achievements in government including “an unemployment rate at 3.9 per cent - the lowest in nearly 50 years.”
“And I’m just so proud of those relationships and the good work that we have done - work that will last and stand the test of time,” he said. “To the people of Australia, I say thank you. Thank you for giving me the privilege to be your Treasurer.
“What we did in balancing the budget for the first time in 11 years before the pandemic.
“The work that we’ve done with historic reforms to foreign investment, to insolvency, to superannuation, to taking on the digital giants in Google and Facebook, to abolishing a whole tax bracket…to be able to save more than 800,000 jobs, to see Australia have a stronger and faster economic recovery than any other advanced economy in the world is something that I’ll be proud of from now till the end of time.
LABOR TAKES ROBERTSON
Labor has snatched the Central Coast seat of Robertson from the Coalition.
Local emergency doctor Gordon Reid has claimed victory over Liberal member Lucy Wicks, who has held the seat since 2013.
“I’m here so we can do better, and Labor has provided me the opportunity to do better, so we can do better for everyone,” he said.
LABOR ON TRACK
“It’s going to be a Labor majority, which I thought all along,” Labor luminary Graham Richardson told Sky News. “And I’m happy obviously because Labor will win but I’m happiest because Anthony’s got the job. And if ever there was a noble warrior, he deserved it.
And that’s why I’m really happy tonight. Because what I’m watching is a great Labor man,” he said.
“He is the real deal. And everything about him speaks of coming up, and the great Australian dream and making a success of your life. And I just congratulate him - I am delighted for him. He is a terrific bike. And he’s going to be a fantastic Prime Minister. And it’s great to be in the Labour Party tonight.”
EMOTIONAL KENEALLY
Fowler’s controversial Labor parachute candidate Kristina Keneally refused to concede Fowler on Saturday night after a dramatic swing against the Labor party.
“It’s not entirely clear yet the result in Fowler,” Ms Keneally said.
“I do believe that Anthony Albanese will be our next prime minister, and I am confident that south-west of Sydney has a better future with Anthony at the helm.”
She said she gave the fight everything she had, and thanked her supporters.
As at 9.30pm results had independent Dai Le ahead in the previously very safe Labor seat.
SCAMPS CLAIMS MACKELLAR WIN
independent Dr Sophie Scamps has declared her victory in the Northern Sydney seat of Mackellar, saying it was a “win for democracy”.
In an interview on the Nine Network, Climate-200 backed Scamp claimed victory over Liberal candidate Jason Falinski in the once-Labor heartland.
“Let’s take it,” she said. “We are so excited.”
ZIMMERMAN LOSES NORTH SYDNEY
Liberal Trent Zimmerman has lost the seat of North Sydney. The ABC reported that Independent challenger Kylea Tinks held an unassailable lead in the once safe Liberal seat.
Zimmerman came into the election with a safe 9.3 per cent margin but it was wiped away by the teal Independent movement, which tapped into a range of issues including climate change.
Speaking on the ABC, Liberal Simon Birmingham said the seat was a shock loss and placed some of the blame on Liberal candidate Katherine Deves and her controversial stance on transgender kids and sport.
“It is devastating,” Mr Birmingham said.
He said Mr Zimmerman had been “punished … by association” given that his electorate neighboured Warringah where Ms Deves ran as a candidate.
“There is no more adjacent seat than North Sydney and Warringah and you are seeing a real contagion effect,” Mr Birmingham said.
“As I put it earlier, it is a real devastating blow because it is people like Trent who we need to make sure the party rebuilds the vote in the communities that we’ve clearly lost and the voters we have clearly lost, and yet we will be missing some of those crucial (people),” he said.
Ms Tink was ahead 54.1 per cent to Mr Zimmerman’s 45.9 per cent of the two party preferred vote last night, which represented a 13.4 per cent swing from the Liberals.
HOW IT ALL WENT WRONG FOR LIBS
As the Liberals slide closer to election defeat, one of its senior figures has said there is “a movement against” the party in heartland seats.
Speaking on the ABC election panel, the Liberals Simon Birmingham spoke frankly about the trend of voters turning their backs on the Liberals.
“It is a clear problem that we are losing seats that are heartland seats, that have defined the Liberal Party for generations,” Mr Birmingham said.
“And so, if we lose those seats – it is not certain that we will – but there is clearly a big movement against us and there is clearly a big message in it,” he said.
“We need to heed the message because forming government in the future without winning those sorts of seats is a next to impossible task,” he said. “We’re seeing Labor potentially in the territory where they have to form coalition with The Greens to get to a government.
“We need to get the Liberal Party as being back in touch with the values of those constituencies and ensuring that people who should hold Liberal values associated with the Liberal Party.”
TEALS TAKE DOWN FALINSKI
Liberal Jason Falinski is staring down the barrel of defeat in the Northern Beaches seat of Mackellar.
ABC elections analyst Antony Green said Falinski’s vote was hovering at 40 per cent, which indicated a loss was looming in the once safe Liberal seat.
“Unless … Jason Falinski can get his vote up … Unless there is something dramatic in the postal votes and I don’t see (a victory for Falinski) happening.
Mr Falinski is being challenged by Independent Sophie Scamps for the seat.
Ms Scamps had 53.9 per cent of the two party preferred vote to Mr Falinksi’s 46.1 per cent.
The vote represents a 17.1` per cent swing against the Liberals.
CHARLTON TO TAKE PARRAMATTA
While it may not have worked for Kristina Keneally Andrew Charlton looks set to be successful in his bid for the seat of Parramatta after he was parachuted into the electorate.
“Labor is just under 41 (per cent of the vote) … the Liberal Party are on about 37,” Antony Green said.
Mr Green said there was projected “one per cent swing to Labor and at the moment we are projecting that Labor will retain Parramatta.”
MICHAEL KROGER HAS CALLED IT
“Labor will get majority in its own right.It looks like Labor will win the election tonight,” Kroger told Sky News.
TEALS EATING LIBERALS ALIVE
“The teals are eating the Liberal Party alive,” said the ALP’s Jason Clare on Channel 7.
“That’s what is happening here. When we started tonight, I was saying, look, they’ve invested a lot of money here, the Liberal Party, and the teals fighting each other, I don’t know whether it will have impact. It’s having an impact…I talked about the middle ring seats in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Look at them, Reid, Bennelong, Brisbane, Chisholm, Boothby. They look like they’re coming our way. There’s challenges in other seats you’ve identified and they may come off there. Too early to tell what the number is going to look like. The teals are eating them alive.”
KENEALLY IN STRIFE
Kristina Keneally is “in strife” in her battle to be parachuted into the Western Sydney seat of Fowler.
The ex NSW Premier is attempting to move from the Senate to the House of Representatives but early vote counting showed she was in trouble to local Independent candidate Dai Le.
The ABC reported that Ms Le was enjoying a “28 per cent swing” in her favour.
ABC analyst Annabel Crabb said it was an indication that local voters were “angry” that a candidate had been dropped into the area.
“She was not from the seat and obviously, I mean, the only interpretation because, as you point out, it is not about a vestige or Liberal Party allegiance,” Ms Crabb said.
FRYDENBERG ALSO IN TROUBLE
Josh Frydenberg is “in trouble”, with independent candidate Dr Monique Ryan matching him on the primary vote for the seat of Kooyong.
Dr Ryan said the Teal independents were sending a “clear and strong” message to the major parties, that they “no longer reflect” electorates like Kooyong.
“The Liberal Party has moved too far to the right and it’s not giving us what we want,” she said during Nine’ election coverage.
“We want gender equity, for women to feel safe in the streets, we want appropriate attention to be paid to Medicare, the NDIS, and child care, all things in the last three years the government has not seen as a priority.”
Julie Bishop, part of Nine’s panel, said if Mr Frydenberg lost his seat it would be an “enormous loss” to the nation.
“I understand what Monique’s saying … but Josh Frydenberg is a great contributor to Australian politics, he served as Treasurer,” she said. –MORE HERE
WARRINGAH CALLED FOR STEGGALL
Zali Steggall is set to retain the seat of Warringah over Liberal challenger Katherine Deves, according to ABC electoral analyst Antony Green.
The seat that Ms Steggall won from ex Prime Minister Tony Abbott in a landslide swing in the 2019 election was called to remain in her hands early in the voting count at 7.30pm.
Ms Steggall said there was frustration in her community about the inaction from Scott Morrison’s government on a range of issues.
“Cost of living issues but also climate change, simply did not feature in the policies and platforms from the major parties and in particular from Scott Morrison,” Ms Steggall said. “It’s like he forgot that over the last three years, we were ravaged by bushfires and floods and somehow, it was swept under the carpet.
“Communities are turning to alternatives and whether that was frustration around the vaccination and Covid and impostor put on people or whether it is that big concern for big issues, they are looking for alternatives to the major parties,” she said.
Ms Steggall argued that it was beneficial for the Australian public to have more Independent members in federal parliament.
“There is no point in having lots of MPs locked up with major parties, where they go and vote because their party tells them to vote that way without engaging on the legislation,” Ms Steggall said.
BARNABY PREDICTING COALITION WIN
Barnaby Joyce has predicted a shock Coalition win, claiming regional people would have the final say this election.
“I think you’re going to be in for a big surprise,” Mr Joyce told Channel 7.
“I think that the pollsters have got it wrong again. I think that people keep their views to themselves.
“I think there were two different elections on here, the regional Australia election and urban Australia election
“I think in regional Australia there is a sense of anger, verging on disconnect, the people believing that: ‘don’t give me Sydney polls and say it works in Singleton because it doesn’t’.”
SPENDER ON TRACK
This from Antony Green at the ABC: “At the moment Allegra Spender is in the lead of 43.7% … Sharma is currently on 29%, but we are projecting 39.7, but that is probably not enough for him to win. A lot more to come. preference estimates would indicate that Allegra Spender would win, but the problem for that seat for the Liberal Party is their primary vote is down 7.7% and it will be very difficult for them to win”
SHOCK IN MACKELLAR
At an early stage of voting in Mackellar once held by Bronwyn Bishop there has been a big swing away from Jason Falinski to independent Sophie Scamps. Antony Green on the ABC said: “Jason Falinski is on 42.6. Sophie on 33.8. Our current projections is that Jason Falinski will end up with 48% of the vote. That is a difficult position to win from. The Liberal primary vote is down 13.2% and that is what is making Jason Falinski’s task more difficult. A lot more counting to come. You will hear a lot about postal trends and pre-poll trend. The one area where Independents are not good at are postal votes.
EX LABOR LEADER JOINS SITOU’S CAMPAIGN
Ousted NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay came out of political retirement on Saturday to campaign for Sally Sitou in Reid.
Chatting to locals and taking selfies with volunteers, Ms McKay said the Chinese Australians in Homebush – part of her former electorate – were flipping to Labor.
“I think we’re seeing our Chinese Australian community that is very much driven toward the Labor Party and I think that that’s partly because of what happened on radio last week, but also people don’t like the kind of the rhetoric from the government,” Ms McKay said.
“That’s what people are talking about – the impact it has on them as Chinese Australians.”
Ms McKay said she was confident there was a “mood for change” in Reid, but had learnt from 2019 not to predict the results of the marginal seat.
“You cannot take this seat for granted,” she said.
While the former NSW Labor leader was handing out how to vote cards, a scuffle in the voting line almost broke out in a fight over personal space.
Two men got into a shouting match when one stood too close to the other, but it was quickly broken up by passers by.
PARRAMATTA CANDIDATE SLAMMED AS ‘WANNABE WESTIE’
NSW Transport and Veterans Minister David Elliot, who was handing out flyers for Liberal candidate for Parramatta Maria Kovacic at Toongabbie Public School, labelled the Labor contester a “wannabe Westie”.
“The arrogance of people coming from the eastern suburbs out to western Sydney and telling us how we should be living our lives, or how we should be thinking or voting, we just won’t cop it,” Mr Elliot said.
Ms Kovacic has positioned herself as a local small business owner throughout the campaign.
“People want somebody who knows and understands western Sydney,” Ms Kovacic said.
“I know Parramatta, I love Parramatta, and it’s easy for me to talk about that because I’m from Parramatta.”
Voter Sabrina said having a “true local” was important to her.
“I’ve seen her before and she’s a mum and it would be nice to have another woman in parliament,” she said. – Emily Burley
TOUGH TALK ON CHINA HURTS LIBERALS IN CRUCIAL SEAT
Labor’s election hopes come down to a handful of battleground seats, but candidate Sally Sitou in marginal Reid said she’s not feeling the pressure.
“I wouldn’t say the pressure is on, I would say that the opportunity is there – we have an opportunity to really demonstrate that Australians want a more hopeful and optimistic future for this country,” Ms Sitou said.
“I know how important this seat is, if we win Reid, Labor will win government,” she said.
With a high Asian Australian population, the electorate of Reid, which spans from wealthy inner west suburbs like Drummoyne to multicultural Burwood and Strathfield, could swing to Labor with help from Chinese voters turned off by the Liberal’s tough line on China, according to Sitou.
“Part of the challenge has been that the rhetoric the Prime Minister and Peter Dutton use when talking about China has really heightened up tensions and the impact that is having on Chinese Australians is not taken into account,” Ms Sitou said.
Ms Sitou said Labor and Liberals have the same China policies, but the Coalition is deliberately stoking tensions for domestic political gain.
Across the Reid electorate the day started with furore over signage at polling booths, with both Liberal and Labor camps claiming their signs were ripped down overnight.
At Chiswick volunteers said Labor signs were completely missing when they arrived this morning.
The marginal seat is on a knife’s edge, with some voters at Strathfield North Public School saying they were switching their vote this election.
“I used to vote Liberal all the time, but not this time
Over the last three years I’ve watched Mr Morrison and I just don’t like his attitude and the smirk on his face … I’m with Labor right now because I don’t want to go independent,” 72-year-old Barbara Munro said. – Jessica McSweeney
BIANCA SPENDER’S ‘PROUD MUM’ MOMENT
A ‘proud Mum moment’ is how fashion designer Bianca Spender described seeing her sister Allegra connect with voters on election day.
“Allegra always said ‘I’ve got two Mums’ but I think it’s really believing that there can be a change,” said an emotional Bianca, daughter of the late Carla Zampatti, as she spruiked voters on behalf of her sister at Bondi Beach Public School.
“I’m so excited and so proud – and I’m excited by Wentworth and the incredible energy that there is from all the people that are helping on the ground. It’s a community led movement, it’s not one person.
“I feel whatever happens today, the whole of Wentworth has changed, and we’ve seen everyone come together and feel that there are opportunities to push for changes we really feel in our heart, we need to see – and a sense of hope that we can be proud of what we have.”
Dressed in a teal T-shirt fashionably tucked into a high waisted long skirt, Bianca talked to dozens of people in the long line to cast their ballots – but instead of telling them to vote for her sister, she asked what they wanted from the election.
“I mean, I grew up in a liberal T-shirt,” she admitted.
“So for me, I couldn’t say ‘vote Liberal’ – I couldn’t do it as a little kid either – I can’t tell you what to do.
“I mean ‘Stick with Sharma’,” she observed of Liberal volunteers.
“That doesn’t mean anything to you – what does that mean?
“I simply ask them what’s important to you … and then I’m like, ‘do you know what Allegra Spender stands for? Do you know, this is her experience? This is her expertise. This is her focus.” – Lisa Mayoh
TEAL WARRIOR VOWS: ‘PEOPLE WANT CHANGE’
Wentworth Independent candidate Allegra Spender cast her vote this morning flanked by advisers, teal-covered volunteers and photographers saying: “It’s a big day but I’m feeling really good, it’s really exciting”.
“There’s been great momentum and amazing volunteers are everywhere and everyone’s excited.”
Sitting Liberal MP Dave Sharma holds the seat by a margin of just 1.3 per cent, narrowly defeating independent candidate Kerryn Phelps in 2019. But a recent poll has Spender on track to claim the prized blue-ribbon seat, with Sharma’s primary vote at 36%, down from 47% at the 2019 election. Spender, who is backed by Climate 200 and running on a platform of action on climate change and integrity in politics, has recorded a 33.3% primary vote.
The Wentworth candidates have been fiercely campaigning Sydney’s wealthiest suburbs on issues such as climate change and cost of living in a bid to win one of the tightest political races in the country.
“This community stands for climate and it stands for integrity, it stands for the economy and the decency and values that you see in the community, people want to see those reflected in Canberra,” Spender continued.
“I think this is a great opportunity.
She wouldn’t be swayed on revealing who she would back in the event of a hung parliament, maintaining that each decision would be made issue by issue.
“I’ll consider the numbers that are on the day and I will consider issues on climate and integrity, and I’m going to reserve my right to vote issue by issue because I think Australia’s best governed from the middle, and if you have middle centre independents making a difference and bringing the balance in, that’s better for our government.
“Feedback has been incredible this morning, I have to say … I’ve had a number of people come up and say ‘thank you so much for standing, thank you for giving us a real choice’.
“That’s what people want.
“People are really seeking change, and they’re seeking change in terms of how we are represented, both in Wentworth and around the country.
“People are disaffected with the major parties, and I think that really shows.” – Lisa Mayoh
‘A VOTE FOR INDEPENDENTS IS DANGEROUS’
Incumbent Liberal MP for North Sydney is campaigning for his political life at Willoughby State School with his seat of North Sydney on a knife edge with Independent Kylea Tink and Labor’s Catherine Renshaw breathing down his neck.
“I think that is the fundamental problem with Independents because they are not at the seat of government, they can’t really influence policy in the way that a member of the government can and there is always the risk that you can give fine speeches but can you actually be effective in delivering results?,” Mr Zimmerman said.
“And the history of Independents shows that what they can deliver is an unstable parliament at worst and at best lots of talk and very little action,” he said.
Asked if he was frustrated that his party had impacted his chances of re-election by its perceived lack of action on climate action, Mr Zimmerman said the Liberals had made significant steps forward despite opposition from within the Coalition.
“My main focus has been to make sure that we commit to Net Zero emissions and I’m really pleased that’s what we have done. That took a lot of work to get there,” he said. It took taking on Barnaby Joyce and members of parliament like that. But we were able to deliver that outcome and no we have a great deal of ambition to make sure Australia is meeting those targets.”
Exit polls of voters suggested there was a move away from voting Liberal because of a perceived lack of action from the government on climate change.
One of those was 82-year-old Willoughby resident Richard Pannell who said he voted Independent after voting Liberal at previous elections.
“I feel the government needs a huge shake up,” Mr Pannell said. “We don’t seem to be moving on climate change and we’ve been living in the past. Things have changed and I worry about the world we are leaving for my grandchildren.” – Brenden Hills
SPARKS FLYING IN PARRAMATTA
Sparks are flying in the battleground seat of Parramatta where a man has been forced to use an angle grinder to open up the polling booth after the Australian Electoral Commission didn’t have the keys.
A video of the man wearing a “everything, everywhere, every time” T-shirt shows him grinding the gate with sparks flying as volunteers stand and watch.
Parramatta is one of the most hotly contested seats in the nation with the Liberals fighting to prise the seat off Labor which is counting on millionaire businessman Dr Andrew Charlton in fending off the Coalition challenge.
A Parramatta volunteer told The Saturday Telegraph the locked entrance had been advertised by the AEC as the place to turn up to vote.
However, a separate entrance at another street was opened instead.
“Because people were turning up to the locked entrance, some bloke has turned up with an angle grinder to open it up,” the volunteer said.
Over in the seat of Banks, voters are being turned away after the wrong ballot papers were delivered at a booth, while another – the St Johns Hall booth – has been closed due to the assigned returning officer testing positive for Covid
– Linda Silmalis
CHARLTON: ‘CONTROVERSY HASN’T HURT US
Parramatta, held by retiring Labor MP Julie Owens for close to 20 years, has been a key battleground seat throughout the election, and was one of the first campaign trail stops for Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
It hasn’t been smooth running for the ALP though, with candidate Andrew Charlton coming under scrutiny as a “parachute candidate” after listing his home address in the eastern suburbs.
The businessman moved from Bellevue Hill to North Parramatta in April.
Handing out flyers at Granville Public School to a steady stream of voters on election morning, Mr Charlton said he didn’t believe the controversy had significantly hurt his campaign.
“We’ve just been laser focused on talking directly to voters, explaining our plans for Parramatta, and my skills and experience in delivering that kind of plan,” Mr Charlton said.
He said cost of living and jobs were likely to be the key issues for voters today.
A Labor win in Parramatta is considered likely, but a shake up there could be indicative of the whole election.
Granville resident Mohammed Noor said he had voted Liberal, after initially planning to vote Labor.
“We want to buy a house so that’s why I was voting Labor, but now the (LNP) superannuation plan sounds good,” he said. – Emily Burley
BENNELONG HOLDS ITS BREATH
In the seat of Bennelong NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has cast his vote at West Ryde Public School throwing his support behind Liberal candidate Simon Kennedy.
Bennelong, once held by former PM John Howard and later John Alexander, is one of a number of seats on a knife-edge that could fall to Labor’s Jerome Laxale.
“Bennelong is always elected very well and I’m sure nothing will be different today,” he said.
“John Alexander had been a great member for the area for many years, but I think Simon is a great candidate and someone who will do very well.”
Voters at the West Ryde polling booth were favouring Labor however, with many saying they were voting for Mr Laxale despite previously voting Liberal.
“The cost of living is getting out of hand and with the rate rises our mortgage is a worry,” one woman told the Saturday Telegraph.
“The way Scott Morrison has handled things the last few years hasn’t helped either so I’m voting for Labor. Something I haven’t done before.”
Casting his vote at Denistone East Public School, Mr Laxale said he was “optimistic”.
“It feels very close, it feels like we can win, cautiously optimistic is the feeling,” he said.
– Madeline Crittenden
SHARMA: ‘WE’LL SEE HOW CARDS FALL TONIGHT’
Sitting Liberal MP Dave Sharma and his wife Rachel Lord among them – began the day with a bacon and egg roll as he cast his vote at Paddington Public School on the day that could change everything.
“I’m a little anxious, a little nervous, but also feels like I’ve run a good campaign here,” Sharma told The Saturday Telegraph, moments after casting his vote at the school where his youngest daughter attends and wife is the president of the P&C.
“I’ve made a pretty strong case for why the voters should put me in for another term, and we’ll see where the cards fall tonight.”
Sydney’s eastern suburbs are home to one of the tightest political races in the country, with Wentworth candidates fiercely campaigning some of the wealthiest suburbs on issues such as climate change and cost of living.
Sharma holds the seat by a margin of just 1.3 per cent, narrowly defeating independent candidate Kerryn Phelps in 2019. But a recent poll has independent Allegra Spender on his heels to possibly claim the prized blue-ribbon seat.
According to the polls Sharma’s primary vote is at 36% (down from 47%) just ahead of Spender who is hovering just above 33% – Lisa Mayoh
KEY NSW ELECTORATES TO DECIDE WHO’LL BE PM
After six arduous weeks millions of voters will descend on polling booths across Australia today to determine who will be Australia’s next prime minister.
In what is shaping as a contest that will come down to the wire, a number of NSW electorates will play a key role in deciding if Scott Morrison will retain his position or if Anthony Albanese and the Labor Party will form government for the first time since 2013.
The Saturday Telegraph will be bringing you all updates from all the crucial electorates across the state throughout the day. And don’t forget to vote at one of the hundreds of polling stations across NSW.
Below are the key electorates to watch.
Bennelong: LIB: 7 %
Simon Kennedy (Liberal, replacing sitting member John Alexander) v Jerome Laxale (Labor)
2019 two-party preferred: Lib: 56.91% ALP: 43.09%
2019 Lib 2016 Lib 2013 Lib
John Howard held this seat until he was unceremoniously bundled out of his prime ministership and his electorate by Maxine McKew in 2007. Former tennis great John Alexander got it back for the Liberals in 2010 and held it ever since, but his retirement has made it vulnerable. McKinsey partner Simon Kennedy in the blue corner is facing a strong challenge from Labor’s Jerome Laxale, an experienced local politician well-known as the Mayor of the City of Ryde.
Gilmore: ALP 2.6%
2019 two-party preferred ALP 52.61% LIB 47.29%
Fiona Phillips (Labor, sitting member) v Andrew Constance (Liberal)
2019 ALP 2016 LIB 2013 LIB
The recruitment of high-profile state MP Andrew Constance seems to have paid off for the Liberals, with both sides now expecting this to be one of the very few seats the Coalition picks up from Labor. Fiona Phillips won the Shoalhaven seat for Labor at the 2019 election but the margin of just 2.6 per cent wasn’t enough to protect her from Constance’s popularity and a solid Coalition campaign.
Hughes: LIB 9.9%
2019 two-party preferred LIB 59.85% ALP 40.15%
Craig Kelly (UAP, sitting member), Georgia Steele (Independent), Jenny Ware (Lib)
2019 LIB 2016 LIB 2013 LIB
Craig Kelly first won this seat for the Liberals in 2010 and despite being saved by Prime Minister Scott Morrison from being deselected, quit the party anyway and stood as Queensland mining billionaire Clive Palmer’s main hope in the House of Representatives. Despite Palmer’s millions, the Liberals are confident their candidate, environmental lawyer Jenny Ware, has this seat sown up.
North Sydney: LIB 9.35%
2019 two-party preferred LIB 59.27% ALP 40.73%
Trent Zimmerman (Liberal, sitting member), Kylea Tink (Ind), Catherine Renshaw (Labor)
The “teal’’ independent, Climate 200-backed Kylea Tink, is in the box seat to knock off Trent Zimmerman, the Liberal who has held Joe Hockey’s former seat since 2015. The Liberals are throwing everything they have at the campaign and while it’s likely too close to call, the teals are a serious chance here.
Parramatta: ALP 3.5%
2019 two-party preferred ALP 53.50% LIB 46.50%
Andrew Charlton (Labor, replacing sitting member Julie Owens), Maria Kovacic (Lib)
2019 ALP 2016 ALP 2013 ALP
Labor’s decision to parachute in wealthy economist Andrew Charlton from the eastern suburbs has not been without problems – he isn’t even registered to vote at the right address. Labor MP Julie Owens had held this marginal seat for years but her retirement means it’s a genuine contest between Dr Charlton and Liberal candidate Maria Kovacic, the co-founder of Western Sydney Women.
Reid: LIB 3.2%
2019 two-party preferred LIB 53.81% ALP 46.82%
Fiona Martin (Liberal, sitting member), Sally Sitou (Labor)
2019 LIB 2016 LIB 2103 LIB
Reid looks set to return to Labor hands after nine years with the Liberals. The incumbent, Liberal Fiona Martin, looks set to be defeated, after a campaign in which she appeared to confuse the Labor candidate, Sally Sitou, with another Asian-Australian woman. Labor has this seat in its likely win column, and Liberals privately concede Dr Martin is in trouble.
Wentworth: LIB 1.3%
2019 two-party preferred LIB 51.31% IND 48.69%
Dave Sharma (Liberal, sitting member), Allegra Spender (Ind), Tim Murray (Labor)
2019 LIB 2016 LIB 2013 LIB
High-profile teal independent Allegra Spender is looking to boot out Liberal incumbent Dave Sharma after just one term. Mr Sharma has run a high-energy, high-spending campaign but Ms Spender, the daughter of the late fashion design legend Carla Zampatti, has run a strong campaign which is likely to land her a seat in the House of Representatives.
DEVES, STEGGALL CASTS VOTE
Controversial Warringah candidate Katherine Deves has cast her vote after a six-week campaign that has seen her draw headlines and at times avoid questions about her views on transgender people.
The Liberal hopeful handed in her ballot at St Kieran; s Catholic School in Manly Vale this morning telling locals she was confident of a win.
Her rival, independent Zali Steggall, voted in Balgowlah.
Ms Deves, who was one of several captain’s pick candidates by Scott Morrison, is facing an uphill battle to retain the seat once held by Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
She spent the week campaigning around the Northern Beaches with former PM John Howard, the end to a gruelling six-weeks.
DEMOCRACY SOGGIES AS POLLS OPEN
It was more a case of democracy soggy than democracy sausage in Sydneys’s inner west as polls opened this morning.
Voters lined up in rain jackets and huddled under umbrellas but few took how to vote cards from volunteers.
Sources from both major parties believed most voters had already made up their minds.
Incumbent Fiona Martin, who holds the seat of Reid on a 3.2 per cent margin, conceded it would be a tough sprint to the finish line.
“There’s definitely a bit of pressure here today, and I definitely think it will be a tough race,” she said.
“I’ve worked really hard for three years and it’s been one of the most difficult times in our nations history.”
Reid stretches from Drummoyne to Auburn and covers Strathfield and Burwood – the seat considered by both parties to be a must win.
Handing out coffees at Chiswick Community Centre this morning, Ms Martin dismissed reports Chinese Australians were turning away from the coalition after Scott Morrison’s hard line political rhetoric against China. – Jess McSweeney
Originally published as Federal Election 2022: NSW live updates and results from key electorates
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