Fiona Patten concedes Victorian upper house seat, Adem Somyurek set to return

Fiona Patten has lost her fight for a spot in Victoria’s upper house, sealing a comeback for former Labor MP Adem Somyurek.

Adem Somyurek is poised to re-enter parliament with the Democratic Labour Party. Picture: Tony Gough

Former Labor minister Adem Somyurek is on the verge of being re-elected to Victoria’s parliament in what looms as a significant complication for Premier Daniel Andrews.

Reason Party leader Fiona Patten, who previously sided with the government on key pieces of legislation as a crossbencher in the upper house, conceded defeat on Monday and will not represent the Northern Metropolitan region in the Legislative Council.

Ms Patten’s concession came as the Victorian Electoral Commission was nearing completion of its count, which is expected to confirm Mr Somyurek, who ran for the Democratic Labour Party, defeated the high-profile MP.

“If I win, and I don’t believe that is certain yet, I will implement what I campaigned on: to hold the government to account,” Mr Somyurek told The Australian.

“(And) to represent the interest of working families in safe ALP seats who have been neglected by the inner-city elitist socialist left ... who run the ALP.”

Mr Somyurek was sacked from his Andrews government ministerial duties in 2020 following branch-stacking allegations, and then quit the Labor party. He was identified by in an anti-corruption report by name, which said he pressured ALP staff members to carry out factional work during ­office hours, including work that related to branch-stacking.

Mr Somyurek’s return to parliament will allow the former Labor powerbroker to continue to wage his campaign against the Premier and in the event of a close vote in the 40-seat Legislative Council, he could be a roadblock to Labor legislation.

Mr Somyurek said in his campaign material that Mr Andrews’ government had neglected “bread and butter” Labor party issues “such as cost of living, jobs, our health system, our education system, public housing (and) community safety”.

Victorian MP Fiona Patten. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

“The Andrews ALP has ceased to be the party representing working families in the suburbs,” he said in a video.

Labor won 56 of 88 seats in the Legislative Assembly at the November 26 state poll. The result is an improvement of one seat on the “Danslide” of the 2018 election.

Ms Patten entered parliament in 2014. On Monday, she tweeted:

“After a wonderful eight years in parliament, I’d like to congratulate the successful candidates for Northern Metropolitan Region (and) indeed all successful candidates in the Victorian election.

“Sadly I won’t be joining them in the 60th parliament but I do have some homework for them. I also call on the next parliament to hold the government to account (and) respond to three landmark inquiries I chaired which attracted significant community interest.”

After a wonderful 8 years in Parliament I’d like to congratulate the successful candidates for Northern Metropolitan Region & indeed all successful candidates in the Victorian election.

Sadly I wont be joining them in the 60th Parliament but I do have some homework for them …

— Fiona Patten MP (@FionaPattenMLC) December 12, 2022

The three parliamentary inquiries included examinations of the state’s criminal justice system, cannabis use and homelessness.

Championing socially progressive causes throughout her career in Victoria’s upper house, Ms Patten introduced legislation to decriminalise small amount of illicit drugs, fought to stop doctors in religious hospitals from refusing to perform abortions and successfully campaigned to protect street-based sex workers from criminal penalties.

She said she would continue to work on these social causes, after recovering from treatment of kidney cancer.

“There is much unfinished business I am still passionate about and will continue to advocate for,” she tweeted.

“I’ll … continue to fight for decent change, in one way or another as I always have.”

Somyurek was a last-minute candidate at the Victorian election after resigning on October 28 after almost two decades in office.