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Victorian State Election 2018 live coverage: Labor set to win 61 seats

Daniel Andrews’ Labor earns a second term — the only unanswered question is how big the victory will be.

John Ferguson, Samantha Hutchinson, Rachel Baxendale and David King
Daniel Andrews takes to the stage with his family, including daughter Grace (left) and wife Cath, to celebrate Labor’s victory in the Victorian state election. Photo: Alex Coppel
Daniel Andrews takes to the stage with his family, including daughter Grace (left) and wife Cath, to celebrate Labor’s victory in the Victorian state election. Photo: Alex Coppel
39 min read
9:59PMNovember 24, 2018.
Updated 10:10PMNovember 24, 2018

Welcome to live coverage of the Victorian State Election for 2018. Daniel Andrews’ Labor will retain government with 61 seats in the 88-seat parliament.

Samantha Hutchinson 10pm: Shorten lauds Andrews

Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has congratulated Daniel Andrews on a “remarkable” win, which he says is a result of voters rejecting Liberal cuts and failed attempts at addressing climate change.

“For four years, Daniel and his colleagues have worked hard to earn and keep the trust of the Victorian people and their success tonight is tribute to the faith Victorians have shown in them, once again,” Mr Shorten said.

“Today’s result is also a fundamental rejection of the Liberals’ cuts to schools, TAFE and hospitals, and their failure to invest in renewables and take action on climate change.”

Victorious ... Daniel Andrews. Photo: Alex Coppel
Victorious ... Daniel Andrews. Photo: Alex Coppel

Rachel Baxendale 9.50pm: Andrews — ‘I am very, very proud’

Victorious Labor Leader Daniel Andrews takes to the stage with his family as supporters roar their approval.

“A short while ago I spoke with the Opposition Leader Matthew Guy and he very graciously conceded that Labor will again form a strong, stable, majority government!” the Premier says to loud cheers.

“On your behalf, I thanked him for his gracious concession and I wished him and his wife, Renae, and all his colleagues all the very best for whatever the future may hold.”

Andrews says the people of Victoria have overwhelmingly endorsed a positive and optimistic plan for Victoria, and lists 75 promised level crossing removals, hospital, school and TAFE funding, job creation, and the “biggest infrastructure agenda in road and rail in Victoria’s history”.

He says Victorians have rejected the “low road of fear and division” in record numbers.

“And for that, I am very, very proud,” Mr Andrews says.

“None of us, none of us get to this position on our own, and I want to thank a number of people, and then make a few comments just at the end about the future.”

Labor supporters cheer Premier Daniel Andrews as he makes his victory speech at The Village Green in Mulgrave. Photo: Alex Coppel
Labor supporters cheer Premier Daniel Andrews as he makes his victory speech at The Village Green in Mulgrave. Photo: Alex Coppel

Andrews thanks his staff, saying no one works harder than his chief of staff Lissie Ratcliff, and congratulates campaign director Sam Rae for a “flawless” effort.

He thanks his deputy, James Merlino, for his loyalty and friendship, and notes the work of Labor’s leader in the Upper House, Gavin Jennings.

“More broadly, to each and every member of the cabinet, parliamentary secretaries, caucus colleagues, I’m so proud of the work that you’ve done, the achievements that you have been able to underpin these last four years and I thank each and every member of the team and all of those who will be joining us in a strong, stable majority government.”

Huge cheers erupt.

Andrews thanks Labor’s “community action network” of campaigners for door-knocking, making phone calls and handing out how-to-vote cards.

Daniel Andrews kisses his wife, Cath, as his children and supporters look on. Photo: Alex Coppel
Daniel Andrews kisses his wife, Cath, as his children and supporters look on. Photo: Alex Coppel

He makes special mention of his wife, Cath, “my best friend, my partner in every way”, and their three children, Noah, Grace and Joseph.

“They are the future, and that’s why we fight so hard for the things that we believe in,” Andrews says.

He declares his government is “the most progressive government in the nation”.

“We are the most progressive state in the nation,” he says.

“We live our values, we keep our promises, and we get things done!”

He also makes special mention of his mother, sister and brother-in-law, and of his father, Bob, who lived to see Andrews become Premier, but died of cancer aged 65 in 2016.

“There is one person who is not here tonight, and the seeds of this victory are in something he said to me many times when I was a much younger person,” Andrews says of his father.

“He said to me often, indeed always, ‘Say what you do and do what you say.’

“He is here with us tonight and, as fathers tend to be of sons, he would be proud, I think, but he would be prouder still of all of you, all of you and all that you’ve done.”

Andrews also singles out the trade union movement for praise.

“The Labor Party is strong. The labour movement is even stronger,” he says.

“(My father) would be very proud of all that we have achieved together, and he would remind me that it is our job to be back at work on Monday morning.”

Andrews also acknowledges those who did not vote for Labor today.

“We will still govern for you, we will govern for all Victorians,” he says.

“We will make sure that regardless of how you voted, we will have better schools, we will have better hospitals, we will build the infrastructure we need and create

the jobs that are so important.”

Liberal party members watch Daniel Andrews’ victory speech at the Veneto Club in Bulleen. Photo: AAP
Liberal party members watch Daniel Andrews’ victory speech at the Veneto Club in Bulleen. Photo: AAP

Finally, Andrews acknowledges the people of his electorate of Mulgrave.

“I am so proud of the fact that my local community, because my constituents are my neighbours, the people of Mulgrave have decided to re-elect me for a fifth term in the

Victorian Parliament,” he says.

“I thank them for their support, their very consistent support, and we will work very hard locally as well.

“The next four years will be about delivering, for all Victorians.”

Andrews leaves the stage, to massive applause.

Samantha Hutchinson 9.46pm: Guy urges Libs to remain united

Liberal Leader Matthew Guy has urged his party to “stick together and stay united” as his party braces for a shocking defeat and a second term in opposition with a substantially smaller team.

Mr Guy appeared at Bulleen’s Veneto Club shortly before 8.30pm to tell the crowd he had called Daniel Andrews to congratulate him on what he described as a “stunning night” for the Victorian Labor leader.

“It is fair and the right thing to do to recognise his and his party’s success and the strength of their campaign, and tonight I do that,” Mr Guy said.

As the Liberal leader left the door open on his next move and did not address whether he would stay on as party leader, he urged Liberal supporters and members not to write off the night before the counting had finished.

He told the crowd he believed big, early swings against the Coalition would improve when the pre-polled votes were counted.

“A lot of seats I’ve noted are being written off or given away from the Liberal Party without the counting of the early or pre-poll votes. We expect a number of those seats to be retained by the party,” he said.

“But let me not detract in anyway from the success of our opponents tonight.”

Rachel Baxendale 9.40pm: Merlino — Andrews ‘brave, astute’

There’s jubilation in Mulgrave as re-elected Deputy Premier James Merlino takes the stage.

“What a night!” he says.

“Can you believe it?! Four years ago, four years ago, we made a promise to the people of Victoria and we promised to build more schools and upgrade schools.

“We promised to end the war on our paramedics and invest in our health system.

“We promised to build road and rail and create thousands of jobs across this state.

“That’s what we promised to do, and we have spent every single day delivering on what we promised.

“And today — today the people of Victoria said, ‘We liked what you did and we want more of it!’”

Mr Merlino says he and the Premier pledged not to waste a single day when they won government in 2014.

“Ladies and gentlemen, friends, comrades: our leader is the bravest, most astute leader that I have ever worked with,” he says.

“He has spent every single day delivering, delivering on what he said he would do, and it is a very sweet day today.

“Ladies and gentlemen, friends, please welcome the Premier of Victoria, my friend, your friend, Daniel Andrews!”

There are huge cheers of “Daniel! Daniel! Daniel!” as the Premier enters the room.

John Ferguson 9.22pm: Guy concedes as 2002 result looms

The Victorian election rout is forecast to mirror 2002, when Labor’s Steve Bracks won 62 seats as he defeated the Liberals’ Robert Doyle.

The ABC’s Antony Green is forecasting 61 Labor seats in the 88-seat lower house.

Liberals leader Matthew Guy has already conceded defeat, congratulating Daniel Andrews on his victory in a short speech in front of party faithful at Bulleen’s Veneto Club.

Rachel Baxendale 9.18pm: Labor snatches back Northcote

Huge cheers in Mulgrave as the ABC predicts Labor will win Northcote back from the Greens.

Victoria’s first indigenous parliamentarian, Lidia Thorpe, won the seat for the Greens in a by-election after family violence minister Fiona Richardson died suddenly and tragically of cancer last year.

Thorpe scored a whopping 9.2 per cent swing in 2017.

Tonight it’s looking like Labor’s Kat Theophanous, daughter of Kirner, Bracks and Brumby minister Theo Theophanous, is ahead 51.6 to 48.4 on a two-party-preferred basis.

While there were cheers for Theophanous, there were boos when Liberals leader Matthew Guy appeared on TV screens to begin his speech to concede defeat to Daniel Andrews.

The Victorian Electoral Commission has counted 1,664,704 votes, or 40.22 of the total enrolment, with 1,644 of 1,795 booths having returned first preference counts.

Rachel Baxendale 8.58pm: Shorten congratulates Andrews

Bill Shorten has tweeted his congratulations to Daniel Andrews, who is still yet to arrive at the Labor function in Mulgrave.

“Congratulations @DanielAndrewsMP and your team on a fantastic victory,” the federal Opposition Leader tweeted.

“Today Victorians chose to continue the strong economic and social progress shown by the Andrews Government.”

Victorians have backed Labor’s plans for better hospitals, better schools, for more infrastructure investment and action on renewable energy, lower power prices, and climate change.

One of the biggest cheers of the night has just gone up in Mulgrave as the ABC predicted the blue ribbon Liberal seat of Brighton, held by 9.77 per cent, would be won by Labor.

Samantha Hutchinson 8.56pm: Libs drown their sorrows

While Mathew Guy supporters wait for the party leader at Bulleen’s Veneto Club, inner-city Liberal candidates are convening across town at The Imperial Hotel in Melbourne’s CBD to watch the carnage unfold.

The mood is a far cry from the deflation of party officials at the Veneto Club.

“This isn’t a funeral. People here aren’t upset, they’re f***ing ropeable,” a member told The Australian.

“Were absolutely livid at how the campaign has been run. We’ve said all along the membership had felt ignored. This result just proves it.”

Samantha Hutchinson 8.54pm: ‘Federal drama only a minor factor’

Federal Liberal MP Kevin Andrews has appeared at Melbourne’s Veneto Club as a growing crowd surveys the damage and waits for Opposition Leader Matthew Guy to appear.

Liberal party sources say Mr Guy has already called Labor leader Daniel Andrews to concede defeat.

Kevin Andrews said given the magnitude of the swing against the Libs so far, he didn’t believe that dysfunction at a federal level played a large role influencing voters.

“It’s early days and I believe the pre-poll results will ameliorate what we’ve seen so far but by the size of the swing we’ve seen so far it looks as if the federal leadership is only a minor factor.”

Mr Andrews has doorknocked throughout the campaign and said he’s not experienced any hostility or criticism from voters concerned about the fed leadership spill. He put down Labor’s early swings so far to the size of their infrastructure package and the fact that a number of projects have finished construction close to the election.

“They can see what Labor has delivered and they know there is more to come and I think in many circumstances they are impressed.”

When asked whether the Bourke Street attack on November 9 had any influence on the outcome, he said he believed it was neutral.

“I think everyone was disgusted and dismayed by it,” he said.

Samantha Hutchinson 8.53pm: Guy calls Andrews to concede

Opposition Leader Matthew Guy has called Premier Daniel Andrews to concede defeat, Liberal sources have told The Australian.

David King 8.35pm: Kroger must resign — Kennett

Former Victorian liberal premier Jeff Kennett has called for Michael Kroger to stand down tonight as Victorian Liberal Party president.

“There is one person who should stand down tonight, it’s Michael Kroger,” Mr Kennett told 7 News Melbourne.

David King 8.25pm: ‘Greens will be wiped out’ — Bracks

Labor’s attack on the Greens looks to have worked.

The ALP is in front in the seat of Northcote, which the Greens picked up in a by-election last year triggered by the death of Labor party MP Fiona Richardson. Labor’s candidate is Kat Theophanous, is the daughter of former Labor state government minister Theo Theophanous.

The Greens-held seat of Melbourne is a very close contest with Labor.

“I would say the Greens will be wiped out in victoria,” former Labor premier Steve Bracks told 7 News.

Planning Minister Richard Wynne currently has a 14 per cent swing towards him in the seat of Richmond. The Greens were widely tipped to the seat.

Samantha Hutchinson 8.22pm: Libs in the ‘Finito Club’

While Labor supporters have dubbed Bulleen’s Veneto Club the “Finito Club”, Liberal Party faithful have assembled at the venue as they wait for MPs to arrive.

A subdued Warrandyte MP and frontbencher Ryan Smith is at the Veneto Club, while officials including Liberal President Michael Kroger, State Director Nick Demiris and Chief of Staff Scott Pearce remain locked in meetings.

It is understood Mr Kroger had bumped back an appearance on Sky News by half an hour.

There are around 60 people gathered at the club, including a number of ashen-faced volunteers who are working to put on a brave face for the evening.

Rachel Baxendale 8.10pm: Pesutto in big trouble in Hawthorn

Things are not looking good for Shadow Attorney-General John Pesutto in what’s usually a blue ribbon Liberal seat of Hawthorn.

With 26.9 per cent of the vote counted, there’s a 10.9 per cent swing against the Liberals and Labor is on track to win 52.2 to 47.8 two-party-preferred.

It’s possible Pesutto can get ahead on postals, but it’s an utterly dismal result regardless.

8.07pm: Liberals’ blame game begins

Senior Liberals admit they’re unlikely to win the Victorian election, with many blaming their federal counterparts and a cash-splashing state Labor government.

Shadow Attorney-General John Pesutto, who is in trouble in his own seat of Hawthorn, says the party is in trouble.

“We’ve got a lot more votes to come out. There’s a big pre-poll dump that’s yet to come but I’m getting a lot of messages of early concerns,” he told the ABC.

He would not comment on whether leader Matthew Guy should stand down.

Victorian Liberal president Michael Kroger said the promises of the Andrews government, which will cost than $30 billion, had been irresistible to voters.

“If we are to lose tonight what has happened is Andrews’ message of giving $25 billion away to the public has influenced people more,” he said. “This is what happens — Labor spends, we have to come in and cut things to get the budget back into surplus and then Labor says the Liberals are cutting everything.”

Mr Kroger said it was a key difference in the two major parties’ campaigns that the Liberals would have to address.

He also pointed the finger at his party’s federal counterparts. “Obviously that hasn’t helped but it’s hard to say how much of an effect it’s had,” he said.

Liberal member for Kew Tim Smith also blamed federal Liberal disunity for hurting the party’s chances.

“When you’ve got federal politicians talking about themselves and their various ambitions that hasn’t helped our party like it didn’t help Labor during the Rudd-Gillard years and that’s damage that we at the state level have to deal with,” he said.

AAP

David King 8.02pm: China agreement a boost for Labor

Former Victorian Labor premier Steve Bracks says big swings to Labor in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne was in part due to the Andrews Government’s decision to sign up to China’s One Belt, One Road initiative.

“In Box Hill, Burwood, in that whole ring, there’s big, big swings to Labor, and the MOU (memorandum of understanding) on the Belt and Road that the state government had with China, I understand was a big influence on that,” he told the 7 Network.

“And the more that got airplay, the more significant that was in those seats”.

Rachel Baxendale 7.54pm: Labor gains in traditional Lib seats

We’re seeing huge swings to Labor in traditionally solid Liberal territory in Melbourne’s east.

In the seat of Evelyn, held by the Liberals by 9.59 per cent, the Libs are now only just ahead 50.4 (-9.2) to the ALP’s 49.6 (+9.2) two-party-preferred, with 18.1 per cent counted.

In Ringwood, held by the Liberals by 5.07 per cent, there’s been a 10.0 per cent swing to Labor, with 24.0 per cent counted.

In Ferntree Gully, held by the Liberals by 7.74 per cent, there’s been an 8.7 per cent swing against the Liberals with 21.7 per cent of the vote counted.

There look to be similarly significant swings in other eastern Melbourne seats including Mount Waverley, Forest Hill and Croydon.

Daniel Sankey 7.50pm: Guy will be gone tomorrow, Jones says

Radio personality Alan Jones predicts Matthew Guy will no longer be the leader of the Victorian Liberal party by this time tomorrow in the wake of what’s shaping as a crushing loss in tonight’s state election.

“If a fellow can’t make any in-roads in the electorate, given all the problems in Victoria that we’ve seen articulated and documented — the centre also of significant African gang crime, and that’s just one of the issues — Daniel Andrews has just campaigned this bloke off the park,” Mr Jones said on Sky News Australia.

“There’s been a lot of talk tonight about infrastructure. Well the infrastructure commitment is about $80 billion. There’s an argument between Daniel Andrews and the treasurer about whether they’ll borrow another $25 billion and they are likely to raise the state debt to to beyond $60 billion.

“But Andrews has been able to sell that case (and) Guy hasn’t been able to prosecute a case against Daniel Andrews, and these are the results.

“If you don’t get into the ring you won’t win the fight and I don’t think the Liberal party were ever in the ring.”

Rachel Baxendale 7.40pm: Greens acknowledge Labor win

There are huge cheers at Mulgrave as Greens leader Richard Di Natale acknowledges a “big Labor win” on ABC TV.

“Four more years, four more years,” and “Daniel, Daniel, Daniel,” are the chants.

Senator Di Natale asid the Greens were hopeful of holding onto two of their three seats — Melbourne, Northcote and Prahran.

He said they were “still in contention to pick up additional seats” and the vote was “holding up”.

But Labor insiders insist that in Brunswick and Richmond, the booths have so far favoured the ALP.

John Ferguson 7.28pm: ‘It’s over, the dam has burst’

Labor is poised to swamp the Coalition in Victoria, exceeding all expectations.

Early estimates suggest Labor can win at least 50 seats in the 88 seat parliament.

“It’s over. The dam has burst,” a senior Labor figure said.

The Liberal Party is facing a huge backlash in Melbourne’s east.

Multiple Liberal heartland seats will fall.

Health Minister Jill Hennessy told ABC News: “This is looking like a bloodbath. Something has gone very, very wrong here with the Liberal brand and reflecting upon what that is, I also think that due credit needs to be given to Daniel Andrews for running a very strong government for four years.”

Rachel Baxendale 7.25pm: Antony Green calls it for Labor

There still aren’t many people here at Daniel Andrews’ election party in Mulgrave, but their voices are loud and jubilant.

A huge cheer goes up as the ABC’s Antony Green calls it for Labor.

“At the moment we’re seeing quite a remarkable set of swings. For that reason I think we’re prepared to call this election,” he said just over an hour after voting closed,” he said.

Mr Green said the swings in eastern Melbourne were quite consistent and very strong.

“This is the path to Victoria for the Labor Party,” he said. “There is nothing we are seeing in any figure we’re seeing at the moment which points to anything but a Labor victory.”

He has given the ALP 28 of the 88 seats in the parliament, the Liberal-National coalition 15, and the Greens one.

Samantha Hutchinson 7.23pm: Sandbelt seats hold up for Labor

Labor says it’s a high profile campaign to hold onto a bayside strip of the state’s four most marginal has paid off.

Early results from “Sandbelt” seats in Melbourne’s southeast indicate Labor has held off strong Liberal attacks in Mordialloc, Carrum and Frankston.

Counting from ten booths across the three seats are showing swings to Labor, a source familiar with the campaign said.

Bentleigh is regarded as the fourth Sandbelt seat, where early counting shows sitting Labor MP Nick Staikos has earned more than 51 per cent of the vote from a count of three booths.

David King 7.20pm: ‘This is a real earthquake’: Richo

The Australian columnist and Labor elder Graham Richardson called the Victorian election result a “disaster” for the Liberals.

“I’m actually staggered because there are swings to Labor everywhere ... this is an amazing result,” Mr Richardson told Sky News.

“Matthew Guy was never in this race, really, but I never thought how poorly they actually thought of him.”

Former Labor premier Steve Bracks told 7 News there was a 14 per cent swing to Labor in Ringwood — a significant result, given Ringwood is a seat currently held by the Liberals on a margin of five per cent.

Samantha Hutchinson 7.10pm: Resounding Labor victory looms

Labor is bullish about securing a resounding victory in tonight’s Victorian state election, with a party strategist reporting big swings to Labor even in seats the Liberals hold.

“We’re seeing swings big enough to win seats we don’t even hold,” a source told The Weekend Australian.

Sources within Labor HQ have reported early but substantial swings in Liberal-held seats in Melbourne’s north-east, including Ringwood, Forest Hill and Mount Waverley. They are also seeing encouraging results in Eltham, which is held by Labor MP Vicki Ward but has been hotly contested by the Liberals in this election. Early counting indicates a swing of 5 per cent to Labor.

“The Liberal scare just isn’t working,” a source familiar with the campaign said.

Other Labor sources indicated the party is on track to retain pascoe vale in the inner north where Labor MP Lizzie Blandthorn faced a respectable challenge from former Labor Member and former local councillor Oscar Yildiz.

Samantha Hutchinson 6.55pm: Libs to gather at Veneto Club

Placards promising to “Jail the Gangs” and “Cutting Taxes” plaster the Sala Venezia room at Bulleen’s Veneto Club where Liberal faithful will meet to watch the count.

Liberal President Michael Kroger has arrived, while MPs including Leader Matthew Guy — whose family is understood to be Veneto Club regulars — is expected to arrive shortly.

The mood is subdued ahead of the function, with some of the early arrivals remarking that there are no balloons in the room, nor the usual blue-shirt clad volunteers.

The scene at the Veneto Club, where Matthew Guy and Liberal Party supporters will watch tonight's count. Photo: Samantha Hutchinson
The scene at the Veneto Club, where Matthew Guy and Liberal Party supporters will watch tonight's count. Photo: Samantha Hutchinson

Three-metre “Getting Back in Control” placards line the walls of the function room in the party’s distinctive blue and white colours and two Australian flags appears on the podium where Mr Guy will address his troops.

Liberal Party MPs and volunteers will be scattered across Melbourne tonight, with similar functions planned in Ivanhoe, Northcote, North Balwyn and others stretching into the Sandbelt.

Rachel Baxendale 6.50pm: Lib supporters ‘refused to vote’

One Liberal MP said voters in marginal seats had refused to vote Liberal today due to the rolling of Malcolm Turnbull as prime minister.

The MP said Labor had received a strong response because they had been focused on issues that impacted people’s lives.

“A lot of voters were directly turned off Liberal because of the rolling of Malcolm,” the MP said.

“They also attacked the ‘hard right’ and (Tony) Abbott, and are perplexed about the party’s position on energy and renewables, as well as gay issues.

“Women were disproportionately angry about it. They just see us as out of touch, obsessed with issues they don’t care about and ignoring the things that impact them now.”

David King 6.46pm: Early swings to Labor

Early counting in the Victorian State Election is showing swings to Labor — including in Premier Daniel Andrews’ seat of Mulgrave.

Former Labor Premier Steve Bracks told 7 News there were 10 per cent swings towards Labor in Mulgrave, which Andrews currently holds with a margin of 4.48 per cent, while Sky News reported a swing of 6% to Labor in Eltham.

“There appears to be a bit of a swing to us,” Police Minister Lisa Neville told Channel 9.

David King 6.36pm: ‘Turnbull’s removal hurt Libs’: Pesutto

The Coalition’s Shadow Attorney General, John Pesutto, says the removal of Malcolm Turnbull as Prime Minister hurt the Liberal campaign in the Victorian State Election.

Speaking on ABC News, Mr Pesutto said he’d spent part of the day “trying to retrieve liberal voters who were upset with the shenanigans.”

Earlier today, Northcote Liberal candidate John MacIsaacs told The Weekend Australian he had had voters “in the tens” tell him they’d been troubled by the federal leadership spill and the party’s decision to dump Malcolm Turnbull.

David King 6.23pm: Kroger still hoping for upset

Despite exit polls predicting an increased majority for Daniel Andrews’ Labor Party, Liberal Party President Michael Kroger remained optimistic tonight, telling ABC News he was “hopeful of victory” and hoping to “take a few seats off Labor”.

“Our polling in a lot of the marginals have been very good for many weeks,” Mr Kroger said.

However, he conceded the Coalition faced a big task.

“What we know in Victoria, there hasn’t been a majority government that’s faced re-election, and lost, for 100 years. Victorians vote for stable government.”

Rachel Baxendale 6.12pm: Andrews heads home

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is watching the results come in at his home in Mulgrave.

In a sign he’s confident of an early result, he’s expected to arrive at his function at the Village Green hotel nearby at 8pm.

6.08pm: More voting, and more voting early

The 2018 Victorian election has set records for the number of people voting and voting early.

Around 40 per cent of voters skipped their democracy sausage and voted early this year.

The Victorian Electoral Commission said a total of 1,641,687 votes had been cast by end of early voting on Friday — 1,391,284 were pre-poll votes and 250,403 postal votes.

Nearly 2.5 million Victorians were expected to vote between 8am and 6pm on Saturday, if all 4.1 million registered electors have a say.

Victoria’s Electoral Commissioner, Warwick Gately, said the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) aimed to count up to 75% of Lower House first preference votes tonight.

“Recent legislative changes allowed the VEC to start extraction and sorting of postal votes and early votes several hours ago ready for a 6pm sharp start of counting,” Mr Gately said.

Rachel Baxendale 6pm: Andrews ‘reddy’ for victory

A function room at the Village Green hotel in Daniel Andrews’s electorate of Mulgrave is decked out with red balloons for the Premier’s election night function.

With Galaxy exit polls showing Labor his ahead 55-45 two-party-preferred, with a dire Liberal primary vote of 38 per cent (compared with 41 for Labor and 12 for the Greens), it looks more likely than not that Mr Andrews will still be Premier at the end of the evening.

The media is here in full force, but Labor campaigners are not expected to start arriving until after polls close at 6pm.

5.52pm: Exit poll predicts Labor victory

An exit poll is predicting Daniel Andrews and Labor will be returned for a second term in Victoria with an slightly increased majority.

The Galaxy poll for the Nine Network is showing a state-wide swing of three per cent to Labor that would increase the government’s one-seat margin in the 88-seat parliament by at least two more seats.

The poll projects the primary vote to be up to 41 per cent for Labor, with the Liberal-National coalition dropping to 38 percent and the Greens on 12 per cent.

“I am hoping that these polls aren’t as accurate as you hope that they are,” Liberal shadow treasurer Michael O’Brien told the panel.

Labor panellist, Police Minister Lisa Neville, cautiously welcomed the poll. “Look, I prefer to be in our position at the moment than Michael’s, I will say it that way.”

The Galaxy poll was conducted with 1500 voters in 16 seats on Saturday.

5.40pm: Libs candidate upbeat

Liberal candidate Monica Clark in the inner northern suburb of Ivanhoe says she’s upbeat at the end of a campaign where she’s called more than 25,000 residents and doorknocked up to 15 per cent of the electorate.

But Labor remains confident of retaining the seat which MP Anthony Carbines holds on a margin of 3.41 per cent.

“It’s not about campaigning for three months, we’ve been sandbagging Ivanhoe for three and a half years,” a Labor strategist told The Australian.

The Liberals' candidate for Ivanhoe, Monica Clark, casts her vote.
The Liberals' candidate for Ivanhoe, Monica Clark, casts her vote.

Mrs Clark says there she came across widespread disenchantment in the seat over congestion, poor development and planning and population growth.

Her mission has been to spell out to voters that Labor has been in power for the bulk of the last two decades, during which the electorate has missed out level crossing removals and other key road works and infrastructure.

“What we’ve been getting people to try and understand is that Labor has been in for 16 or the last 19 years and trying to get them to equate that with a lack of progress they’ve seen in the area,” Ms Clark said.

“Whatever Daniel Andrews is doing for infrastructure now isn’t making up for the inaction over that broader length of time.”

5.30pm: Albo slams use of ‘Republican playbook’

Federal Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese has encouraged Australians to call out the “cynical exercise” of campaigning that uses fear and marginalisation to win votes.

He told Victoria’s Joy FM today that “the Republican playbook has been played out here very explicitly with people from the US coming here to assist on election campaigns” and that people, especially politicians, should know better.

“I’m not sure what’s worse sometimes, people who are bigots or people who are not but choose to play that card for political advantage knowing that it’s wrong,” he said.

Anthony Albanese listening to Opposition Leader Bill Shorten speak at a Labor Party Room Meeting at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture Kym Smith
Anthony Albanese listening to Opposition Leader Bill Shorten speak at a Labor Party Room Meeting at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture Kym Smith

Mr Albanese said fear campaigning “certainly happened” in the South Australian election, and while he “wasn’t sure” whether US campaigners were being used by the coalition in Victoria he was concerned about some of Matthew Guy’s tactics.

“Some of the rhetoric aimed at scaring people into voting for them is, I think, pretty shameful and we need to be much much better than that,” he said.

Two organisations led by people of colour have been actively trying to combat racism in the Victorian election — GetUp’s Colour Code, and independent group Democracy in Colour.

National director of Democracy in Colour, Tim Lo Surdo said Mr Albanese’s comments were great but “words without actionare meaningless”. He condemned Daniel Andrews’ proposed anti-association and punitive sentencing laws as “divisive” and said Labor should invest in “community not prisons”. Mr Lo Surdo said community organisations needed to step up advocacy work andalso called for electoral commissions to do more.

“This type of politics puts our democracy at risk and there needs to be consequences,” he said.

In a statement, Colour Code senior campaigner Roj Amedi said: “Encouraging fear and division serves no one other thanthe ones who spread it. Politicians must represent everyone — no matter the colour of their skin, or their religion.”

On an ABC News panel, Labor MP Pat Conroy accused Liberal MP Craig Kelly and “his mates” of “racist dog whistling” in the Victorian election. “People in your party have been picking on particular ethnic groups and saying you should be scared ofthem,” he said.

“It has been a disgraceful scare campaign and I’m confident the Victorian people will see through it.”

Mr Kelly objected to Mr Conroy’s accusations of racism.

AAP

Samantha Hutchinson 5.20pm: ‘No mood for change’, Coalition says

The mood is sinking among Coalition members as they approach the final hour on polling booths, with campaigners telling The Australian that voters turning up to polls are showing little appetite to change the status quo.

“There’s no mood for change,” a Coalition campaigner told The Australian from the seat of Morwell.

“And and that’s not just what we’re hearing down here in the Latrobe, that’s across the state.”

The Liberals and the Nationals were hopeful of clawing the Latrobe Valley seat of Morwell from independent and former National MP Russell Northe, but they are losing confidence.

Speaking from the regional campaign trail, the Coalition campaigner said the independent Mr Northe would likely hold up, despite major attacks from the Liberals, the Nationals, Labor and other independents.

Independent Russell Northe is expected to hold onto the seat of Morwell. Photo: David Geraghty
Independent Russell Northe is expected to hold onto the seat of Morwell. Photo: David Geraghty

“I think most people still think Russell Northe is Nat,” the campaigner said.

“Morwell has been a safe Nationals seat for that long, so there hasn’t really been a proper campaign down here since 2006 ... and Russell is also campaigning with blue and white colours, so we reckon he’ll hold it.”

Mr Northe quit the Nationals in mid-2017 after opening up about a number of mental health issues and financial struggles.

Former Latrobe City Mayor and National Timber Council chair Dale Harriman is the Liberal candidate, and Nationals state senior vice president Sheridan Bond is running for the Nationals.

Labor has put up former Hazelwood power station worker and CFMEU delegate Mark Richards as the party’s candidate, who has been supported by more than 450 CFMEU volunteers.

The Liberals’ candidate for Morwell, Dale Harriman. Photo: Mike Keating
The Liberals’ candidate for Morwell, Dale Harriman. Photo: Mike Keating

5.15pm: Key points ahead of tonight’s count

CURRENT LOWER HOUSE SEATS
■ Labor 45
■ Liberals 30
■ Nationals 7
■ Greens 3
■ Independents 3

CURRENT UPPER HOUSE SEATS
■ Labor 14
■ Liberals 14
■ Nationals 2
■ Greens 5
■ Shooters, Fishers and Farmers 2
■ Fiona Patten’s Reason Party 1
■ Vote 1 Local Jobs 1
■ Independent 1

SWING NEEDED TO CHANGE GOVERNMENT
■ Three per cent in order for the Liberal-Nationals to win majority government

OPINION POLLS (two-party preferred)
■ November — Newspoll for The Australian: 53.5 Labor, 46.5 Coalition
■ November — YouGov Galaxy for News Corp: 53 Labor, 47 Coalition
■ August — YouGov Galaxy for News Corp: 51 Labor, 49 Coalition
■ April — Newspoll for The Australian: 51 Labor, 49 Coalition

NUMBER OF ELIGIBLE VOTERS
■ 4,118,947 (as of September 2018); 1,641,687 cast before election day

RETIRING MPS
■ Louise Asher (Liberal, lower house)
■ Richard Dalla-Riva (Liberal, upper house)
■ Martin Dixon (Liberal, lower house)
■ Khalil Eideh (Labor, upper house)
■ Christine Fyffe (Liberal, lower house)
■ Judith Graley (Labor, lower house)
■ Geoff Howard (Labor, lower house)
■ Sharon Knight (Labor, lower house)
■ Telmo Languiller (Labor, lower house)
■ Hong Lim (Labor, lower house)
■ Don Nardella (independent, lower house)
■ Wade Noonan (Labor, lower house)
■ Jude Perera (Labor, lower house)
■ Simon Ramsey (Liberal, upper house)
■ Murray Thompson (Liberal, lower house)
■ Marsha Thomson (Labor, lower house)

AAP

4.45pm: Lib big guns join campaign trail

South Australian Premier Steven Marshall has joined the Liberal campaign on Victoria’s election day.

Mr Marshall joined Victorian party MP Tim Smith and federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg at Kew Primary School today.

“Wonderful to have SA Premier @marshall_steven on the campaign trail with @TimSmithMP in Kew. Sausage sizzle & cake stall doing a good trade!” Mr Frydenberg tweeted.

Mr Marshall’s visit repays a favour to Victorian Opposition Leader Matthew Guy who distributed how-to-vote cards for the SA Liberal leader in Adelaide in March.

“I have a funny feeling I’m going to be doing exactly the same for you come November,” Mr Marshall told Mr Guy at the time.

Mr Fryendberg, whose federal seat of Kooyong takes in much of the state seat of Kew, tweeted images of the trio clad in blue Liberal merchandise. Kew has been a safe Liberal seat since its creation in 1927.

AAP

Rachel Baxendale 4.30pm: Another close contest looms in Carrum

Labor Member for Carrum Sonya Kilkenny beat then Liberal MP Donna Bauer by just 527 votes in 2014, and the pair are back for a rematch.

The seat is smack bang in the “sandbelt” of four marginal seats on the eastern side of Port Phillip Bay, which turned blue in 2010 and reverted to Labor in 2014.

Frankston (0.48 per cent), Carrum (0.72 per cent), Bentleigh (0.78 per cent) and Mordialloc (2.10 per cent) make up four of the five most marginal Labor seats in the state.

Ms Bauer and Ms Kilkenny are both campaigning this afternoon at Carrum Downs Secondary College.

Ms Kilkenny said the message she was getting from voters is that “so much has been happening” in terms of infrastructure being built.

Two local level crossings have been removed, and Labor has promised to duplicate large arterial Hall Rd.

Ms Bauer said the issue of law and order was biting in the seat and converting to Liberal votes.

“I’ve had lifetime Labor voters, even a few members of the CFMEU, come and tell me they’re voting for me because Labor aren’t taking crime seriously,” she said.

Ms Bauer also listed cost of living and congestion as key issues, saying the Coalition’s plan to remove all intersections on the Dunkley bypass — one of the main arterials from the sandbelt to the Melbourne CBD — was very popular.

One man told Ms Bauer he had voted for her but expressed frustration at the Liberal Party’s campaign, saying no one knows who Opposition Leader Matthew Guy is.

“Labor has been responsible for so many rorts and you guys aren’t calling them out for it enough,” the voter said.

Carrum is a must-win for the Liberals and the party has been working hard to win it back, with Victorian Liberal Party President Michael Kroger handing out how-to-vote cards earlier in the day at Skye Primary School in the seat, alongside federal Member for Dunkley Chris Crewther.

4pm: Shorten hits another snag

He’s had plenty of practice since his 2016 attempt at putting away a democracy sausage left Australians gasping in collective horror, so how’s Bill Shorten’s technique nowadays?

AAP reports that although the Labor leader — who cast his vote in Moonee Ponds earlier — at least picked the right end, the spectacle was “awkward”.

Thankfully, photographers were on hand to shove a camera in his face:

No pressure, Bill. Picture: Alex Coppel.
No pressure, Bill. Picture: Alex Coppel.
Not a natural sausage eater, but at least he’s picked the right end. Picture: Alex Coppel.
Not a natural sausage eater, but at least he’s picked the right end. Picture: Alex Coppel.
Awkward, but points for trying. Picture: AAP
Awkward, but points for trying. Picture: AAP
A vast improvement on this unforgettable 2016 attempt.
A vast improvement on this unforgettable 2016 attempt.

For the record, Mr Shorten told AAP he doesn’t care if the onions are on top or the bottom of the sausage, he just like onions.

3.30pm: Independent stopped from handing out flyers

The countdown is on for the polls to close in the Victorian election, but the day hasn’tbeen without a touch of controversy.

Independent candidate for Richmond Kevin Quoc Tran was stopped from handing out unauthorised campaign material at two polling booths in the hotly-contested electorate.

Mr Tran, a Liberal member but not an endorsed party candidate, said he told volunteers to stop handing out the single-sided flyers as soon as he was made aware of the issue.

“It was a bit of a misunderstanding, blown out of proportion,” he said.

Mr Tran is one of four independents vying forthe inner-city seat after the Liberal party chose not to contest a candidate in a move designed to deprive Labor of theirvaluable preferences.

“I decided to run, not so much to represent the Liberal party, I wanted to represent the community,” Mr Tran said “You can’tjust abandon voters, as a major party like that.”

A record 40 per cent of voters have forgone their democracy sausage and voted early this year, but there were still complaints of queues at some polling booths.

A total of 1,641,687 votes had been cast by end of early voting on Friday - 1,391,284 were pre-poll votes and 250,403 postalvotes.

Nearly 2.5 million Victorians are due to vote on Saturday, if all 4.1 million registered electors have a say.

- AAP

Samantha Hutchinson 2.59pm: ‘Turnbull factor’ bites Libs

A Labor source has indicated the party is seeing stronger than expected results in the seats it holds across Melbourne’s wealthiest areas, with voters moving to Labor because of disappointment over federal Liberal leadership instability.

“The Turnbull factor has really hurt the Liberals in more affluent areas,” the source said.

The Liberals were confident at challenging Labor in the south-western seat of Bentleigh but Labor says its own exit polling is encouraging.

Liberal voters have been stopping Liberals on voting booths to express disappointment about the federal leadership spill.

Northcote Liberal candidate John MacIsaacs told The Weekend Australian he had had voters “in the tens” tell him they’d been troubled by the federal leadership spill and the party’s decision to dump Malcolm Turnbull.

But the majority of Liberal voters appeared to be separating the two parties.

Mr MacIsaacs is the underdog in the Greens-held electorate, where Greens MP Lidia Thorpe is fighting to retain the seat from Labor candidate Kat Theophanous who has been well-resources by Victorian Labor to reclaim the seat it lost in the 2017 by-election.

Greens MP Lidia Thorpeduring a NAIDOC march in July. Picture: David Caird
Greens MP Lidia Thorpeduring a NAIDOC march in July. Picture: David Caird

“I’d say our 15 to 20 per cent is rusted on,” Mr MacIsaacs said. “The people who support us are still responding really well to the message and they can separate the federal party from the state.”

Another MP in a Liberal safe seat told The Weekend Australian voters had taken a “real issue” with the federal party, and were keen to let their local MP know.

“People have been raising the federal issue with me and really, there’s nothing we can do,” the MP said.

“I’ve had people telling me they were unhappy about Turnbull being dumped, then the other half stops me to say they were unhappy about Turnbull ever getting in,” he said.

“It’s really hurt us.”

Rachel Baxendale 2.10pm: Watt, Fowles an unlikely duo

Liberal Member for Burwood Graham Watt and his Labor opponent Will Fowles are campaigning side by side at Ashwood High School in the eastern Melbourne seat.

It’s one of the Liberals’ most marginal suburban seats, held by just 3.17 per cent, and one they’re privately worried about losing.

Mr Watt said his main message to voters had been about law and order, given nearby Burwood Police Station has been closed and Ashwood Police Station only operates two days a week.

He says voters are also pleased with the Coalition’s intersection removal plans to address congestion, and their plans to limit development in the area.

Mr Fowles has been talking up Labor’s suburban rail loop plan, which would have a station at Deakin University’s Burwood campus.

He says people are also pleased about plans to remove two level crossings just outside the electorate in Surrey Hills and Montalbert, following a recent double fatality.

Samantha Hutchinson 1.56pm: Safe injecting room in spotlight

Labor frontbencher Richard Wynne has rejected suggestions the race for Richmond is a referendum on Labor’s safe injecting room, which is located just metres from the Elizabeth Street polling booth.

“The safe injecting room has not been an issue whatsoever,” Mr Wynne told The Australian on the Election Day hustings.

“I’ve had close contact both with the safe injecting room, and the school [next door] and they are 100 per cent supportive of it.

“It’s a shocking knee jerk reaction from [Opposition Leader] Matthew Guy [to commit to shutting it] and right here 34 people died last year from overdoses, and it’s a disgraceful decision and an attempt to politicise something he hasn’t even taken the time to get himself educated about.”

The exterior of the safe injecting room at North Richmond community centre. Photo: Wayne Taylor
The exterior of the safe injecting room at North Richmond community centre. Photo: Wayne Taylor

The Liberal Opposition has committed to closing the safe injecting room within a week of forming government, saying that it’s location next to a school is inappropriate and that the overall approach sanctions elicit drug use.

But Labor has hit back at the plan, saying the early evidence indicates the trial facility is saving lives.

Mr Wynne appeared at Richmond’s Elizabeth Street polling booth this morning to cast his vote, just metres from Labor’s high profile safe injecting facility.

He holds the seat on a margin of 1.86 per cent.

The near 20 year MP said he was confident of extending his hold as he faces off against the Greens for the seat the minor party regards as it’s best chance.

Greens candidate and academic Kathleen Maltzahn is vying against Mr Wynne for the seat, in what will be her third tilt at Richmond.

Richard Wynne hands out how to vote cards on election day.
Richard Wynne hands out how to vote cards on election day.

But Mr Wynne said he could withstand the attack.

“I’ve been a long term campaigner here, I understand how to work a marginal seat, and if hard work is worth anything that’s what I’ll be rewarded for,” he said.

He said Premier Daniel Andrews was also popular with the electorate, and that a large part of the party’s support in the electorate came from Mr Andrews’ personal following.

“He has a very high standing in this electorate, and I think people actually recognise the progressive agenda,” Mr Wynne said.

“I think the Dying with Dignity legislation for people here was a huge thing, and the supervised injecting facility which is here was also very brave decision, a gutsy decision by him.”

Rachel Baxendale 1.32pm: Libs fearful over Caulfield result

Caulfield, with a substantial Jewish population in Melbourne’s leafy southeast, is generally considered pretty safe Liberal territory, but some Liberals have privately said they’re worried about holding the seat.

Electoral boundaries which have shifted east and a swing to Labor could endanger Shadow Energy Minister David Southwick’s 4.88 per cent margin.

Opposition leader Matthew Guy made a campaign stop in the seat ten days ago, as well as cancelling an address at an Ai Group business lunch to meet with Jewish leaders in Caulfield.

Handing out how-to-vote cards with Liberal Upper House MP David Davis at the 4th Caulfield Scout Hall, Mr Southwick said the mood of voters was hard to read, particularly given more than double the usual number have voted early.

His mother-in-law Judy was enthusiastically singing his praises to voters.

Labor candidate Sorina Grasso arrived a short time later.

Ms Grasso said many voters had told her they were pleased with the amount of infrastructure the Andrews government has built over the past four years, including level crossing removals and getting started on the metro rail tunnel.

Samantha Hutchinson 1.08pm: Greens confident of increased support

Greens Leader Samantha Ratnam said she was confident the party would grow its lower house footprint on polling day as she cast her vote at Brunswick North Primary School.

The Greens are upbeat on the chances of picking up Brunswick, where Greens candidate and doctor Tim Read has whittled Labor’s margin down to just 2.2 per cent.

He is up against union health and safety officer Cindy O’Connor.

But Ms Ratnam was less optimistic about growing the party’s holding in the upper house, saying that minor party preference deals stacked against the Greens had lengthened its chances.

“Well, Labor has preferences the Shooters and Fishers in the upper house so if they help deliver a far right wing upper house then I think voters have every right to be very concerned ... and every right to ask questions,” Ms Ratnam told The Australian.

Greens leader Samantha Ratnam casts her vote.
Greens leader Samantha Ratnam casts her vote.

“They’ve also done deals with the Liberal Democrats and we say that if you’re truly looking for progressive outcomes, you should be looking for a progressive outcome in both houses.”

The party leader is on course to retain her Northern Metropolitan upper house seat, but was frank about challenges in Western Metropolitan.

The Greens’ MP Huong Strong has held the upper house seat of Western Metropolitan since taking over from veteran Colleen Hartland, who resigned in February.

Labor has told The Australian it is confident of securing extra seats in the upper house and weakening the Greens’ representation in both the western metropolitan region, as well as the South Eastern Metropolitan region.

Internally, Greens sources say they are prepped for a beating after a campaign beset by upsets, including the last minute scratching of the Sandringham candidate because he was the subject of an alleged rape complaint.

Earlier in the campaign, upper house candidate Joanne Nilson quit the race over posts professing to be the “baddest shoplifter” there is.

Greens Leader Samantha Ratnam with Footscray candidate Angus McAlpine. Photo: Supplied
Greens Leader Samantha Ratnam with Footscray candidate Angus McAlpine. Photo: Supplied

Ms Ratnam has stood by Footscray candidate Angus McAlpine, who was outed for being part of an offensive rap crew whose lyrics reference date rape, domestic violence and drug dealing.

Mr McAlpine fronted the rap crew Broken Aesthetiks, with songs referencing “b****es” and homophobic slurs and one particularly vile track featuring the lyrics: “date rape drugs in her drink then have my way”.

The party said the offensive lyrics were written for “shock value” when the candidate was young. He was 21 at the time the album was released.

12.30pm: Leaders have cast their votes

Victoria’s political leaders have now voted in the state election which will decide who governs the state for the next four years.

A record 40 per cent of Victorians voted early for today’s state poll, but there were still complaints of queues at some polling places. The Victorian Electoral Commission said a total of 1,639,202 votes had been cast by end of early voting on Friday — 1,388,799 were pre-poll votes and 250,403 postal votes.

Nearly two and half million Victorians are voting today. Premier Daniel Andrews cast his vote alongside his wife Cath in his southeastern Melbourne electorate of Mulgrave.

Victorian State Election 2018. Premier Daniel Andrews and his wife Catherine cast their vote at Albany Rise primary School in Mulgrave, Victoria. Picture: Alex Coppel.
Victorian State Election 2018. Premier Daniel Andrews and his wife Catherine cast their vote at Albany Rise primary School in Mulgrave, Victoria. Picture: Alex Coppel.

Opposition Leader Matthew Guy was one of the early voters, but he headed out to his old primary school to help Liberal candidate Nick McGowan in his bid to win Eltham.

Greens leader Samantha Ratnam, who hopes to hold the balance of power, cast her vote in Brunswick.

Opinion polls show the Labor Andrews government is expected to be returned for a second term in Spring St.

Victorian Liberal party leader Matthew Guy enjoys a democracy sausage at his former primary school, Sherborne. Photo: David Caird
Victorian Liberal party leader Matthew Guy enjoys a democracy sausage at his former primary school, Sherborne. Photo: David Caird

But it could fall short, a lose its one-seat majority — meaning the Greens, if they hold their three seats or win more, could become the kingmakers. The coalition needs a uniform swing of three per cent to — seven extra seats — to form a majority government and force out Labor.

Counting will begin at 6pm after the polling booths close. Pre-poll votes will also be counted on Saturday night for the first time.

AAP

11.30am: Labor firm further in betting

Daniel Andrews’ Labor party is a firm favourite with punters to win tonight’s Victorian State Election, firming into $1.10 (from $1.11) with Sportsbet.

Spokesman Will Byrne said Labor had attracted 96% of all money wagered on the election, including bets of $20,000 and $18,000.

As a result, Matthew Guy’s Coalition had blown out from $5.75 on Friday to $7.50 today.

“This is one of the most one sided elections in recent memory and the punters have come from everywhere to back a Labor victory. It would be an upset for the ages if the Coalition win,” Byrne said.

11am: Ferguson — Andrews a ‘machine man’

The weight of evidence suggests Labor will be able to form government either in its own right or as a minority, writes The Australian’s associate editor John Ferguson today.

“Either result is acceptable for Labor. The question, assuming a Labor win, will be whether Daniel Andrews has the capacity to clean up the government’s political strategy and heal the wounds of ­internal discord.

“Andrews has shown that he has courage and ambition. He has advanced an ambitious major projects agenda and tapped into the mood of the electorate. In many ways, he has never stopped being a machine man, learning from his days at party headquarters.”

Read the full story here.

Premier Daniel Andrews and his wife Catherine cast their vote at Albany Rise primary School in Mulgrave, Victoria. Photo: Alex Coppel.
Premier Daniel Andrews and his wife Catherine cast their vote at Albany Rise primary School in Mulgrave, Victoria. Photo: Alex Coppel.

Rachel Baxendale 10.51: Three-way contest for Prahran

The seat of Prahran in Melbourne’s inner southeast is the only genuine three-way contest between Labor, Liberals and Greens in today’s election.

In 2014, Green Sam Hibbins won the seat from the Liberals on preferences, despite coming third in the primary vote.

Prahran takes in mansions in affluent Toorak and South Yarra and housing commission flats in Prahran and Windsor, and is home to a large LGBTI community.

The Liberals received 16,582 first preference votes in 2014, compared with 9586 for Labor’s Neil Pharaoh, who is running again today, and 9160 for the Greens.

After preferences were counted, the Greens beat the Liberals on preferences by just 277 votes.

Paediatrician and Royal Children’s Hospital allergy specialist Katie Allen is hoping to regain the seat for the Liberals, but it will be a tough battle in the rapidly growing inner city seat, with many younger constituents having moved to the area in the last four years.

All three candidates have been out and about this morning.

Mr Hibbins said he expected the result to be close as he campaigned at Prahran RSL alongside Liberal Upper House MP Georgie Crozier.

Mr Pharaoh had enlisted a special helper, his Italian greyhound Milo, at Christ Church Grammar School in South Yarra.

At the other end of Toorak, Dr Allen was wooing voters at the South Yarra Library, promising to fight hard on health and education and urging them to “put another woman in parliament”.

10am: Andrews pleads for ‘stable majority’

Premier Daniel Andrews has urged Victorians to vote one for their Labor candidate to ensure a stable majority government after today’s election.

Speaking this morning, Mr Andrews again refused to consider a deal with the Greens, who could be the kingmakers should Labor lose its one-seat majority although the polls show it should be returned with a narrow majority.

“We need a strong, stable majority Labor government in this state and I would urge for all Victorians to vote for their local candidate so we can keep on investing in the road, rail, and school infrastructure we need,” he told Channel 9.

AAP

9.30am: ICYMI — Where the money is going

The Australian columnist Jack the Insider has published his much-anticipated analysis of the betting trends in the lead-up to the Victorian state election .. and he believes some surprises could be in store.

“The overwhelming view is the Andrews government will win the Victorian election comfortably, possibly extending its margin in the lower house, but an analysis based on betting markets in individual seats reveals a strong possibility that Labor will find itself in minority government come Saturday night,” he wrote yesterday.

Read the full story here.

9am: Polling booths open across Victoria

Polling booths across Victoria are now open. Nearly three million Victorians are today expected to vote in the state election, but more than one million votes were cast early.

Opinion polls show the Labor Andrews government is expected to be returned for a second term in Spring St.

The coalition needs a uniform swing of three per cent to — seven extra seats — to form a majority government and force out Labor.

Premier Daniel Andrews will be casting his vote in his southeastern Melbourne electorate of Mulgrave.

Liberal leader Matthew Guy has already voted, but is expected to be out and about handing out how-to-vote cards.

Counting will begin at 6pm after the polling booths close. Pre-poll votes will also be counted on Saturday night for the first time.

AAP

Read related topics:Daniel AndrewsVictoria Politics

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/victorian-state-election-2018-live-coverage-daniel-andrews-pleads-for-stable-majority/news-story/bd299031c2325f4401a499ff14a33c1f