Bendigo remains red after election

VOTERS in Bendigo’s two main electorates have returned both incumbents following last Saturday’s State election.

Despite registering small swings away from the party at about the state average, Deputy-Premier Jacinta Allan and speaker in the last house, Maree Edwards, both comfortably retained their seats.

In Bendigo East, Ms Allan saw a 2.6 per cent swing away from her primary vote at 47.8 per cent, with a corresponding 7.1 per cent jump in Liberal candidate Darin Schade’s numbers.

However, Ms Allen was returned to the seat on a 59.9 per cent to 40.1 per cent two-party preferred basis.

In 2018 a National Party candidate took just less than 16 per cent of the vote in Bendigo East, but the party didn’t stand this year.

Across on Bendigo West, Ms Edwards numbers were nearly the same, with a primary vote at 46.8 per cent, although her first preferences were down 6.7 per cent.

It mattered little though, as she easily retained Bendigo West 65.4 to 34.6 per cent two-party preferred with the overall swing against at 3.1 per cent.

Ms Edwards she was pleased with the outcome.

“It’s been a great result,” she said. “I’m always very grateful and very thankful to the electorate for re-electing me.

“It was a challenging campaign, a long campaign, but we ran a very positive campaign.

“We don’t win elections without the support of some fantastic volunteers, and I am forever grateful of the support of volunteers who supported me.”

With so much committed to the region by Labor during the campaign, Ms Edwards said the promised money would start flowing following the May 2023 budget.

“There were a number of smaller commitments to seven smaller community groups across the electorate,” she said.

“I’m looking forward to them receiving the funding that was committed because it will make a big difference.

“The funding to the Bendigo Regional Employment Precinct is major investment that will get this project started.

“And of course, the art gallery upgrade, everyone loves our Bendigo Art Gallery and I think that investment will be one that will bring great benefits to Bendigo. Not just economically but for the arts community as well.

“The funding commitments are in the budget that the Government will hand down in May.”

Having held the role of speaker for a period during the last term of parliament, Ms Edwards said she would leave it up to her caucus colleagues as to what roles she might take on over the next four years.

“Once the final results of the election are determined and we have a better idea of who will be in our caucus, there will be a caucus meeting and the positions will be decided then,” she said.

“It will be up to the caucus to make those decisions.”