Victorian Election 2022: Inner-city push secures four seats for Greens

While the Greens look to have held all three of their existing inner city seats and won Richmond, Labor is ahead in four other close contests.

Leader of the Victorian Greens, Samantha Ratnam. Picture: Mark Stewart

As the count continues after last night’s historic victory for the Andrews government, Labor looks to have secured at least 50 seats, the Coalition at least 21, and the Greens at least four.

The race remains tight in at least six Liberal vs Labor seats, three seats where the Liberals are up against teal independents, and four seats where the contest is between Labor and the Greens.

Liberal vs Labor

In the Bass Coast seat of Bass, southeast of Melbourne, Labor is just ahead with 67.4 per cent of the vote counted, leading 50.4-49.6 two-party-preferred.

In neighbouring Hastings, Strictly Ballroom star and Labor candidate Paul Mercurio is leading Liberal Briony Hutton 50.7-49.3 with 75.9 per cent counted.

On Melbourne’s southeastern outskirts in Pakenham, Labor leads the Liberals 51.6-48.4 with 71.1 per cent counted.

In the historically safe Liberal seat of Croydon in Melbourne’s outer northeast, frontbencher David Hodgett has his nose ahead 51.6-48.4 with 71.5 per cent of the vote counted.

In the heavily Labor-targeted inner southeastern Melbourne electorate of Caulfield, Liberal deputy leader David Southwick looks like holding his seat, leading Labor’s Lior Harel 53.8-46.2 with 64.6 per cent counted, and postal votes from the Orthodox Jewish community expected to heavily favour the incumbent.

In the previously safe Liberal Western District seat of Polwarth, south and west of Geelong, incumbent Richard Riordan has been given a scare by form Victorian Labor President Hutch Hussein, but now leads her 52.6 to 47.4 with 75.5 per cent counted.

Liberal vs Independent

The Liberals are ahead in all three seats targeted by teal independents, but only just in the inner city seat of Hawthorn, where former Liberal frontbencher John Pesutto leads Melissa Lowe 50.6-49.4 with 70.5 per cent counted.

In neighbouring Kew, which like Hawthorn overlaps with the federal seat of Kooyong lost by former Treasurer Josh Frydenberg to teal independent Monique Ryan in May, former Frydenberg staffer Jess Wilson leads Sophie Torney 53.0-47.0 with 72.2 per cent counted.

The contest in the seat of Mornington, southeast of Melbourne remains extremely close, with Liberal Chris Crewther just ahead of teal Kate Lardner 50.2-49.8 with 78.1 per cent counted.

Labor vs Greens

While the Greens look to have held all three of their existing inner city seats and won Richmond, Labor is ahead in four other close contests with the minor party.

In Albert Park, Greens candidate Kim Samiotis looks like finishing third to Liberal Lauren Sherson and Labor’s Nina Taylor, handing the seat to Taylor who currently leads Sherson 62.4-37.6 two-candidate-preferred, with 61.8 per cent of the vote counted.

In Northcote Labor’s Kat Theophanous is holding on, currently ahead of Green Campbell Gome 51.2-48.8 with 72.5 per cent counted.

Further north in Pascoe Vale Labor leads the Greens 52.8-47.8 with 66.2 per cent counted, and again in Pascoe Vale Labor is ahead 52.2-47.8 with 58.2 per cent counted.