Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan ‘thrilled’ with Mulgrave by-election result

The Victorian Premier has celebrated Labor’s win in Mulgrave, despite a fall of almost 11 per cent in the party’s primary vote.

Jacinta Allan joins the Member-elect for Mulgrave Eden Foster for a press conference in Noble Park. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui

Labor has declared victory in Daniel Andrews’s former seat of Mulgrave, despite a fall of almost 11 per cent in the primary vote, with Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan “thrilled” with the result.

With more than 35,000, or 75.16 per cent, of votes counted, Labor’s Eden Foster was sitting on a primary of 40.01 per cent late on Saturday night, down from Mr Andrews’s 51 per cent at the state election almost a year ago.

Liberal candidate Courtney Mann was on 21.57 per cent, with high-profile independent Ian Cook on 18.89 per cent – up from 17.19 per cent and 18.01 per cent for the Liberals and Mr Cook respectively in last year’s contest for the southeastern Melbourne seat.

The Premier and new member-elect celebrated the win on Sunday while announcing a fresh round of vouchers for Mulgrave families to use towards upfront costs in participating in sports.

“By-elections for governments can be really challenging and particularly even more challenging when the by-election is in the seat of a long-serving retiring leader,” Ms Allan said. “So in terms of where this result is looking like it’s going to land, it’s going land in about the middle of the historic average.

“To welcome a young woman like Eden into the Victoria parliament is tremendous. Another woman in parliament .... who brings a depth and diversity of experience and background … is exactly what we need.”

On Saturday night, Ms Allan said the community of Mulgrave had turned to Labor to support them “And they’ve done that for one simple reason: they know that Labor delivers”.

The Premier spruiked free kindergarten, free TAFE, the removal of 72 level crossings with plans to remove another 38, and the government’s plan to revive the State Electricity Commission as key policies.

“When we started this campaign, we knew we were in for a tough fight. We knew it would be a hard one to win and of course, Daniel Andrews served the community here for 20 years, and everyone on every street knew Daniel. He was part of this community, he was trusted by this community, and the impact of his work in this community was clear.

“By-elections are certainly challenging for governments, but they’re especially challenging when the by-election is in the seat of a retiring premier.”

Eden Foster is joined by Premier Jacinta Allan as she enters the Noble Park RSL after her Mulgrave by-election win. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Ms Allan thanked the 150 volunteers who manned voting booths and said the party had knocked on 7000 doors on Saturday alone.

Ms Foster thanked Ms Allan for her support, mentorship, “incredible wisdom”, and for being “a fantastic role model for women”.

“Tonight I am truly humbled to stand here in front of you to be the next Labor MP for Mulgrave. It is an amazing feeling,” she said.

“I put my hand up to run in this campaign because this community has given me everything.

“The journey of a working class girl from Noble Park to Spring Street has not been an easy one. I was raised by a single mum … and she worked tirelessly to keep a roof over our heads and to give me a better life.

“These early experiences of my mum’s strength, her determination and her never-give-up attitude have made me into the woman that I am today.”