ABC election guru Antony Green has declared the Wentworth by-election will be won by independent candidate Dr Kerryn Phelps.
The counting is still ongoing, but with 10 per cent of the votes counted Liberal candidate Dave Sharma was only attracted 35 per cent of the primary vote, suffering a massive swing of 27% in one of the party’s safest seats.
The by-election was called when former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull resigned from parliament, following his party knifing him as leader.
Labor frontbencher Linda Birney said the disastrous result should be a sign for the Morrison government that it was time to call a general election. Labor’s Deputy Leader Tanya Plibersek said the massive swing was a “historic” moment in Australian politics and showed that voters values were distinctly different to those of Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
Liberal MP Trent Zimmerman said both major parties had lesson to learn from the by-election, and polls were showing growing support for the new Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
If Dr Phelps is the successful candidate the Morrison government will lose it’s one seat majority and fall into being minority government, dependent on negotiating with the opposition and cross benchers to operate successfully.
OIP Stafff
