Author:
Polls close in Victorian cliffhangerAs polls closed at 6:00pm AEDT
|
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
Date Posted: 27/11/10 0:17:12
Polls close in Victorian cliffhanger
Updated 35 minutes ago
PreviousNextSlideshow: Photo 1 of 2
Victorian Premier John Brumby and his wife Rosemary leave the Prahran Community Centre after voting today (AAP: Joe Castro)
Video: What's driving Victorian voters? (ABC News) Video: Baillieu casts a 'vote for change' (ABC News) Video: Brumby unfazed by polls (ABC News) Audio: Tony Eastley joins AM for election wrap (AM) Related Story: Leaders vote in tight Victorian election Related Story: What's driving Victorian voters? Counting is underway in the Victorian election, with Ted Bailleu's Coalition riding a late surge of support which could end Labor's 11-year reign.
As polls closed at 6:00pm AEDT a Sky News exit poll predicted that the Liberal/Nationals Coalition would win, showing support for the Coalition at 54 per cent as opposed to 46 per cent for Premier John Brumby's Labor party.
The poll was based on interviews with 3,000 voters in 18 marginal electorates, but did not take into account the record number of postal and pre-poll votes that have been cast.
Earlier today polls by both AC Nielsen and Newspoll had the Coalition marginally ahead of Labor on a two-party preferred basis heading into polling day.
AC Nielsen had the Coalition just in front with 52 per cent of the vote and Labor on 48 per cent. Newspoll forecast a tighter contest, with 51 per cent to the Liberals and 48.9 per cent to Labor.
It was the first time the Coalition had led either of the polls during the campaign.
Mr Baillieu's Liberal/National Coalition must win 13 seats to reach the 45 seats needed to form a majority government.
But Victoria could be left with a hung parliament if the Coalition picks up 12 seats in the regions and Melbourne's outer eastern suburbs, and the Greens win either one of the inner-city seats of Melbourne or Brunswick.
The Greens' hopes of making any more gains this time around were dealt a serious blow when the Liberals decided to preference them last but are still expected to attract a surge of support in as many as eight inner Melbourne seats.
Labor has ruled Victoria for 11 years, since the departure of Liberal premier Jeff Kennett in 1999, but Mr Brumby is battling to be elected in his own right for the first time.
Earlier today Mr Brumby, who had to change voting locations to avoid some protesters, appeared resigned to a swing against his government.
"I don't claim that everything we have done in government has been perfect," he said.
"It will be a tight election, but I think the difference at the end of the day is going to be about leadership for the future.
"It will be very close, very tight, and hopefully we will get a result tonight."
Mr Baillieu voted in his seat of Hawthorn today and said he was seeking to govern in his own right.
"We haven't done a deal with independents or Greens and we're not about to do a deal," he said.
"The message we're sending is clear. This is a tired, incompetent and out of touch Government that has had 11 years. They haven't delivered, they have left Victorians with big problems.
"We're going to do something about it; fix those problems and get on with it."
Tags: government-and-politics, elections, states-and-territories, australia, vic
First posted 1 hour 15 minutes ago
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
|
Feedback: 
