Tehan’s Wannon win a light in the dark for the Coalition

DAN Tehan has held onto the seat of Wannon with a small swing in his favour, surviving a fierce but ultimately failed challenge from high-profile independent Alex Dyson as the Coalition suffered heavy losses nationwide.

First elected in 2010, Mr Tehan weathered a national swing to Labor and rising pressure on moderate Liberal seats, running a disciplined and methodical local campaign.

Mr Tehan secured 53.91 per cent of the two-party preferred vote over Mr Dyson. He also recorded a swing in his favour on first preferences.

In a video message posted on his official Facebook account, Mr Tehan thanked the electorate for placing faith in him again.

“It’s incredibly humbling to be elected again as the Member for Wannon, and I just wanted to let you know that I will work hard every single day to represent you to the best of my ability.

“We live in the best electorate in Australia and I want to make sure that we keep it that way.

“A very, very big thank you.”

Mr Tehan told the Surf Coast Times he would focus first on drought relief.

“My top priority right now is to work alongside Roma Britnell and Richard Riordan to push the Allan State Labor Government to deliver urgent drought relief for farmers in south-west Victoria,” he said.

He also reaffirmed his commitment to working with the community groups he pledged funding to during the election campaign.

“I’ll continue to support these important local initiatives,” he said.

“A key priority is to secure funding for modern amenities across the electorate that meet the needs of growing female participation in sport so I will keep advocating strongly to ensure community sport is fairer, more inclusive, and accessible for everyone.”

Conceding defeat, Mr Dyson said he was proud of his thousands of supporters.

“I loved being part of a community-led movement and I love talking to the community but I’m also someone who can take a hint.”

As election night results rolled in, it quickly became clear the Coalition was in deep trouble.

Within hours, Peter Dutton had lost his seat, the first major party leader to be ousted by voters in their own electorate since John Howard in 2007, and the Coalition’s primary vote was in freefall.

While Mr Tehan’s win was one of the few bright spots for the Coalition on an otherwise grim night, leadership tensions soon erupted.

Mr Tehan, Sussan Ley, and Angus Taylor have emerged as frontrunners, jostling for the leadership amid factional infighting.

For now, Mr Tehan’s victory is one of the few bright moments for the Coalition after a difficult election.