Broadbent re-elected
Monash voters have returned the Liberals’ Russell Broadbent for his seventh term. While his new title will be Member for Monash, this will be Mr Broadbent’s his sixth consecutive term for the electorate and seventh in total. Votes counted to date show Mr Broadbent’s 7.5 per cent hold on the seat will change little, but he is confident final figures may reveal a slight swing in his favour and his hold could increase to as much as eight per cent. With Saturday’s federal election returning the Coalition to government, Mr Broadbent said he was pleased voters chose to re-elect him based on what he had delivered to local communities. ALP candidate Jessica O’Donnell bucked national trends in Monash, increasing the party’s primary vote by more than two per cent. Figures up until Sunday night showed Mr Broadbent securing 57.36 per cent of the two-party preferred vote compared to Ms O’Donnell on 42.64 per cent. Primary votes for candidates in ballot paper order were: John Verhoeven (independent) 2271; Michael Fozard (independent) 2497; Jeff Waddell (Pauline Hanson’s One Nation) 6362; Jessica O’Donnell (ALP) 25,578; William Hornstra (Greens) 5653; Russell Broadbent (Liberal) 39,883; and Matthew Sherry (United Australia Party) 3393. While attracting 7.43 per cent of the vote across the electorate, Pauline Hanson’s One Nation vote was particularly strong in some areas including 18.75 per cent at Erica, between 10 and 12 per cent at Drouin booths and just under 10 per cent at Trafalgar, Yarragon and Neerim South. The Greens primary vote dropped 3.5 per cent to 6.6 per cent. For the two independents, towns where they have either lived or run businesses proved the most supportive with Mr Fozard obtaining almost 10 per cent in both Yarragon and Labertouche and Mr Verhoeven’s strongest result being in Moe. Mr Broadbent believes his hard work for the local community earned him his re-election. “We ran a very grass roots campaign and it was all about local people and delivering on their behalf. From scouts to Roads to Recovery, bridges and recreation – we delivered. “We didn’t take one person for granted. We went to every forum, community meeting we were invited to. That’s the way I do my job and I will keep doing it,” he said. Mr Broadbent said his vote at Moe booths improved eight per cent, which was a show of voters rejecting the ALP’s policies. “This was not an election about climate change, it was about local issues.” Mr Broadbent said the biggest concern among voters leading into the election was some of Labor’s policies. “The accumulation of wealth would be more difficult if Labor got in.” Ms O’Donnell said the scare tactics and fear campaign ran by Clive Palmer and his United Australia Party, with back-to-back radio advertising campaigns, had really hurt the ALP. “You can’t compete with that, especially on a grass roots budget like mine,” she said. Ms O’Donnell said she was proud of the positive campaign she ran in Monash which had resonated with a lot of people. She said she ran a campaign based on local issues rather than major ALP policies and tax reform. “I kept it local and how locals would be affected by policy. “Our primary vote went up two per cent and I am really pleased about that. Based on the national trend we did quite well here so all the work we did on the ground here has paid off. “I always knew I wouldn’t get it at my first go…I’ll put my hand up again for pre-selection and have another go,” she said.