LABOR candidate for South Barwon Darren Cheeseman is almost certainly the new member for South Barwon, defeating incumbent Liberal MP Andrew Katos in a state election that saw Labor massively increase its majority and retain government.<\/p>\n
More than 62 per cent of votes had been counted by Monday night, with Mr Cheeseman receiving 55 per cent of the two-party preferred vote in South Barwon.<\/p>\n
The change of MPs was part of a huge statewide swing that has seen Labor win at least 52 seats compared to at least 24 for the Liberal Nationals.<\/p>\n
Speaking to this newspaper on Monday, Mr Cheeseman said Labor\u2019s offering to the Geelong region was \u201cquite an attractive proposition\u201d, and his own position on no development in Spring Creek \u201cplayed a pretty decisive role in switching votes\u201d in Torquay.<\/p>\n
He said the Liberal Nationals\u2019 central campaign was \u201cterrible\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cMatthew Guy can run around and scare people with crime statistics, but no-one bought it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Cheeseman said that as the member for South Barwon, he would \u201ccontinue to conduct myself in a way which is in touch and in keeping with the aspirations of this community\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll continue to speak out for this community against vested interests and others that might wish to see things done differently.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Katos said he was disappointed in the result, but thanked the voters who continued to support him.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m proud of what I\u2019ve done in my time; Surf Coast Secondary College is probably my strongest achievement in terms of infrastructure.<\/p>\n
\u201cDarren Cheeseman now has to give a very clear timeline about moving Torquay\u2019s town boundary back to Duffields Road and to get this thing moving.\u201d<\/p>\n
Labor held onto all its seats elsewhere in the Geelong region, with Bellarine MP Lisa Neville defeating Liberal Brian McKiterick and Geelong MP Christine Couzens holding off both Liberal Freya Fidge and independent Darryn Lyons.<\/p>\n
In the upper house region of Western Victoria, Labor\u2019s Jaala Pulford and Gayle Tierney were elected alongside Beverley McArthur from the Liberals, with the final two seats likely to go to Andy Meddick from the Animal Justice Party and Stuart Grimley from Derryn Hinch\u2019s Justice Party.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LABOR candidate for South Barwon Darren Cheeseman is almost certainly the new member for South Barwon, defeating incumbent Liberal MP Andrew Katos in a state election that saw Labor massively increase its majority and retain government. More than 62 per cent of votes had been counted by Monday night, with Mr Cheeseman receiving 55 per […]<\/p>\n