Liberal Party Edges Ahead in Prahran
By Rachel Eddie
The Liberal Party has narrowly gained the lead in Prahran. As previously mentioned, the result in this seat will largely depend on preferences, with both the Liberals and Greens expecting a very tight race.
As of 9:45pm, Liberal candidate Rachel Westaway is slightly ahead, with 50.84% of the two-party preferred vote over Greens candidate Angelica Di Camillo. This could change as more votes are counted.
Both leading candidates have secured about 36% of the primary vote.
Liberal Leader Arrives in Prahran
By Rachel Eddie
Opposition Leader Brad Battin has arrived in Prahran, where he was greeted with chants of “Rachel, Rachel, Rachel” alongside Liberal candidate Rachel Westaway at a party event in Windsor.
Battin expressed gratitude for the “sea of blue,” thanking supporters. He stated, “We are here and ready to represent the community.”
Acknowledging the tight race, Westaway said, “I am humbled and excited to see these results. It’s going to be close, but the Liberal Party is blossoming, and we are here to represent you.”
Werribee Race Remains Close
By Adam Carey
The race in Werribee is still neck-and-neck, with 29% of votes reported by the VEC.
Labor’s John Lister leads with 51.35% of the two-party preferred vote, narrowly ahead of Liberal Steve Murphy at 48.65%. Minor party votes could be decisive in determining the next representative for Werribee.
Independent candidate Paul Hopper, a long-time local figure with no official how-to-vote card, has secured 13.76% of the vote. The Victorian Socialists have gained 7.57%, the Greens hold 8.44%, and Legalise Cannabis has 7%.
At the Liberal gathering, there’s a growing sense that the final result may not be announced tonight.
Almost Two-Thirds of Votes Counted in Prahran
By Rachel Eddie
Around 64% of votes have now been counted in Prahran.
Liberal candidate Rachel Westaway has reached 36.24% of first-preference votes, while Greens candidate Angelica Di Camillo is close behind with 36.19%.
Independent Tony Lupton holds just under 13% of the vote, and the result will likely hinge on preferences.
Greens Acknowledge Prahran Will Be a Tight Race
By Rachel Eddie and Nicole Precel
With 58.74% of votes counted in Prahran, including early and postal votes that often lean towards the Liberal Party, the race remains tight.
Liberal Westaway now has 36.04% of first-preference votes, while Greens candidate Di Camillo has slightly edged ahead at 36.07%.
Greens Upper House MP Katherine Copsey told supporters at the party’s event that Prahran’s outcome would likely come down to preferences, predicting it would be a close call.
Werribee Update: 23% Counted
By Adam Carey
With just under 23% of votes counted in Werribee, Labor’s John Lister holds a slim lead with 51.05% of the two-party preferred vote, compared to Liberal Steve Murphy’s 48.95%.
It’s still early, and pre-poll votes will likely play a significant role, with many predicting the result could be very close.
Nearly 43% of Votes Counted in Prahran
By Rachel Eddie
As 42.52% of votes are counted in Prahran, Greens candidate Angelica Di Camillo remains slightly ahead with 38.1% of first-preference votes.
Liberal candidate Rachel Westaway trails closely with 33.43%, while independent Tony Lupton has earned 13.87%.
The flow of preferences will likely decide the winner of this tightly contested byelection.
Liberal Member on Campaign in the West
By Adam Carey
Intaj Khan, a long-time Liberal Party member and property developer, has been vocal about the intensity of the campaign in Werribee. “In 45 years, I’ve never seen the Liberals fight so hard in the west,” Khan said. “There are so many blue shirts at the booths.”
Khan believes the result will be close but is not yet ready to predict a victory for Steve Murphy. Khan, who has expressed interest in becoming the Liberal candidate for the federal seat of Lalor, is keeping an eye on the election results tonight.