The ABC is predicting Labor will retain both of the ACT's two House of Representative seats.
The polls closed for the 2013 federal election at 6:00pm and Canberrans ended a day of waiting in long lines at many polling booths across the ACT.
The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) says they had more staff rostered on than the 2010 election, but there were still long lines around the capital, particularly at Old Parliament House.
It was expected around 600 people would turn out to vote at Old Parliament House today, but by 1:30pm 4,000 people were wanting to cast their vote at the previous home of Australia's Parliament.
As of midday, most of the ACT had already cast their vote with the AEC expecting around a million people and hour to vote between midday and 6:00pm.
Canberra and Fraser
Based on voting patterns, the capital is a Labor stronghold with the party currently holding both the Fraser and Canberra House of Representative seats by comfortable margins.
The southern electorate of is held by Gai Brodtmann with a margin of 9.1 per cent, while the northern seat of is represented by Dr Andrew Leigh with a margin of 14.2 per cent. Both members were first elected in 2010.
With 47 per cent of the vote counted, the ABC is predicting that Ms Brodtmann will retain her seat of Canberra over Liberals candidate Tom Sefton.
Current Labor member Dr Andrew Leigh will retain his seat of Fraser over Liberals candidate Elizabeth Lee.
Dr Leigh says it is terrific to be returned as the Member for Fraser but says he is disappointed with the result for Labor nationally.
"I'll be a very strong advocate for Canberra and for holding Mr Abbott's government to account on their pledges to the people of Canberra," he said.
"Mr Abbott's had a lot to say over the last three years about the importance of keeping your word and I'll be watching like a hawk to make sure he keeps his word to the people of Canberra."
Eden-Monaro
But appears to have lost its bellwether status, with Labor expected to retain the seat, but lose the election.
Eden-Monaro has been won by the party which has formed government at every election since 1972.
With just over 58 per cent of the vote counted, the ABC is predicting sitting member and Minister for Defence Materiel, Mike Kelly will retain his seat over Liberals candidate Peter Hendy.
Dr Kelly was out voting at Karabah High School and says he received some good feedback from voters about his track record as member.
"I know that a community like this, right across the region does value hard work and I don't think anybody, even my worst enemy, would challenge the fact that I've worked extremely hard," he said.
"I've put my body and soul into this."
But Dr Kelly says he is happy to accept the verdict of the people at the election booth.
"We just, I don't think, appreciate enough just how fortunate we are to have to have a culture of democracy and tolerance, to celebrate a day like today," he said.
"Whatever happens, it'll make me feel good."
Eden-Monaro Liberal candidate Peter Hendy says securing the seat is still strategically important for his party.
"We've put a lot of effort into targeting it, it's one of the key seats we're targeting around Australia," he said.
"We're hopeful it remains a bellwether seat, I think the mood's good.
"The question is how big the swing ends up being."
Mr Hendy says Coalition policies have struck a chord with many in the electorate.
"Cost of living is a huge issue and one of the big issues that gets raised with me all the time is electricity prices," he said.
"We're the only major party with a policy on that, which is we're going to abolish the carbon tax."
Hume
With 66 per cent of the vote counted, the ABC is predicting that Liberals candidate Angus Taylor will win the seat of over Labor's Michael Pilbrow, confirming it as a safe Liberal seat.
The seat is currently held by Alby Schultz with a margin of 8.7 per cent, but he is retiring at this election.
ACT Senate seats
Given Labor holds the two ACT House of Representatives seats so safely, there is more political interest in the contest for the second of the territory's two Senate seats.
These two places have always been split between Labor and the Liberals.
Labor Senator Kate Lundy is expected to secure the quota for the first of the two spots.
Liberal candidate Zed Seselja is campaigning for the second Senate spot, with Greens candidate Simon Sheikh expected to give him a run for his money.
While out casting his vote this morning at Gordon Primary School, Mr Seselja said he was nervous but hopeful.
"I'm hopeful of a change of government nationally and I'm hopeful that we'll be able to hold the Senate seat for the Liberal Party in the ACT," he said.
"But we know we need every last vote for the Liberals, we know that a vote for the minor parties is effectively going to be a vote for a Green and my final message to people is don't risk it."
No comments:
Post a Comment