PETA Murphy has won a second term as the member for Dunkley.
As of 22 May, a day after polls closed, the incumbent Labor MP is comfortably ahead. With 66.5% of the vote counted Murphy is about 10,000 votes ahead of Liberal Sharn Coombes on the two-party preferred vote. Labor enjoyed a swing of 4.2%, with the margin between the two major parties now at 7%.
Murphy will now represent the electorate while in government, after serving out her first term in opposition.
Before Saturday’s election Murphy told The News “there is no doubt that the rising costs of living, climate inaction and a lack of integrity in the current government are uppermost in people’s minds”.
“I will continue to lead by example, bringing honesty, integrity, and a commitment to fairness to everything I do,” she said. “Labor will make it easier to get ahead with cheaper childcare, fee-free TAFE and 20,000 new university places, take meaningful action on climate change and introduce a national anti-corruption commission.”
The Greens claimed more than 10% of the first preference votes in Dunkley, with the United Australia Party coming in with more than 5%. Anti-vax independent Darren Bergwerf, who took to Facebook to claim victory before the polls had closed, was yesterday (Monday) sitting on 4%.
In the leadup to the election, Murphy made multi-million dollar commitments to projects in Frankston, Carrum Downs, and Mount Eliza.
