By Eleanor Wilson
Former Gembrook MP Brad Battin will switch to take hold of the Berwick District after a confident defeat over Labor’s Malik Zaveer on election night, Saturday 26 November.
Battin received 48.0 per cent of first preference votes and claimed victory with 56.3 per cent of the two-party preferred vote, based on counted votes as of Monday 28 November .
The shadow minister took to Facebook to thank his family, friends, volunteers and the community for the win.
“Thank you firstly to the community for trusting me with your vote. I promise to not let you down,” he said.
“Elections are never easy on the family, to my wife Jo, my daughters Chloe and Mikaela, thank you for your unwavering support”
“To each and every volunteer, staff member, friend and family member – thank you.
He also took time to thank his fellow candidates, Labor’s Malik Zaveer, the Greens Hayley Perry and the Freedom Party’s Kerry Haupt.
“To all the candidates who make our democracy great, I thank you for a campaign free of polling booth issues… it was great to stand the booths with you.”
“Finally, we have a battle ahead, and as a proud Liberal Victoria member, I will always fight to protect our values, and I will continue to do so. “
The Liberal Party came away from election night with a five per cent swing toward them in Berwick.
The electorate was previously held by the Liberal Party with a margin of 1.3 per cent based on redistribution estimates.
Labor’s Malik Zaveer suffered an 8.3 per cent swing against him in the primary vote, while Hayley Perry increased the Greens’ vote by 2.3 per cent for a total of 9.6 per cent of the primary vote.
Battin saw a slight drop in support compared to numbers in the 2018 election, where he was elected to the seat of Gembrook with 48.3 per cent of first preference votes.
The Gembrook district was abolished at the 2021 electorate redistribution, with voters from the district divided into the new seats of Berwick and Pakenham
Battin will serve as the first Berwick MP in 20 years and currently stands as a lone Liberal soldier amongst a sea of red in the South East.
Mulgrave, Carrum, Narre Warren North, Narre Warren South and Cranbourne were all retained by the ALP, while the seats of Pakenham and Bass remain too close to call as of the morning of Monday 28 November.
