Victorian election count continues

THE Victorian election has entered the rechecking phase, and the five local candidates expected to win their seats shortly after election day are still on track to enter Parliament.

Labor’s Ella George (Lara), Christine Couzens (Geelong), Alison Marchant (Bellarine) and Darren Cheeseman (South Barwon) as well as Richard Riordan from the Liberals all hold decisive two-party preferred leads in their respective seats, and will be officially declared winners by the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) when it completes the recheck in the coming days.

In the upper house, the outcome is less certain.

Last week, based on indicative counting, it seemed Labor (Jacinta Ermacora and Gayle Tierney) and the Liberals (Beverley McArthur and Joe McCracken) would win two seats each in the Legislative Council’s Western Victoria Region, with the fifth and final seat to go to the Greens.

The VEC had completed 72 per cent of its recheck for the Western Victoria Region as of Tuesday this week, with Labor having 2.14 quotas, the Liberals 1.67 quotas and the Greens 0.49 quotas.

According to ABC election analyst Antony Green, incumbent Andy Meddick from the Animal Justice Party is excluded at the 21st count, with the fifth seat coming down to a three-way race between incumbent Stuart Grimley from Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party, Sarah Mansfield from the Greens, and Andrew Dowling from Legalise Cannabis Victoria.

Mr Green predicts Ms Mansfield will be excluded at the 24th count, with Mr Dowling reaching the quota at the 25th count ahead of Mr Grimley to win by about 12,000 votes.

G21 have drawn up a list of the election commitments across its five member municipalities. Labor’s local pledges include:

$30.4 million for an ambulance station in Armstrong Creek

Up to $20 million towards the North Bellarine Aquatic & Leisure Centre (Stage 2)

Two new primary schools in Armstrong Creek – Warralilly Park Primary School and Horseshoe Bend Primary School

$1 million for planning towards a new secondary school for Mount Duneed

A new dog park in Armstrong Creek

Some portion of $10 million to begin planning for mental health and wellbeing centres in Colac and Torquay

$125 million towards the duplication of Barwon Heads Road (Stage 2)

Capping the cost of a daily ticket on the V/Line network at $9.20 for a full fare or $4.60 for a concession, making it the same price as a metro daily fare

Capping Myki pass holder fares the at metro rate of $5.52 per day

$1 billion to increase weekend rail services in Geelong to every 20 minutes between 8am-9pm on weekends, and some of the 23 new VLocity trains to replace older trains on the Geelong line

For the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games, an aquatics centre in Armstrong Creek, a gymnastics and weightlifting venue in Waurn Ponds and Games Village for 2,500 in Waurn Ponds, and hosting the closing ceremony at Kardinia Park

$2.4 million for pavilion upgrade and extension at Barwon Heads

$1 million upgrade to Winter Reserve netball facilities at Belmont

Up to $3.15 million Portarlington Recreation Reserve upgrade

Up to $2 million for female change rooms at North Shore Football and Netball Club

$2.5 million upgrade at McDonald Reserve Belmont

A $30 million package to support producers, including distillers and winemakers

$50,000 to help homelessness charity The Outpost secure a new home, and

$30-36 million for Geelong TAFE’s disability services hub and to redevelop the student hub.