By Eleanor Wilson
Labor’s Belinda Wilson has emerged triumphant over Liberal Party candidate Timothy Dragan, to take hold of the seat of Narre Warren North following Saturday’s state election.
According to counted votes as of Tuesday 29 November, Wilson received 48.7 per cent of the primary votes, almost double that of Dragan’s 26.5 per cent first preference votes.
Two-party preferred figures gave victory to Wilson with 60.2 per cent of votes, while Dragan trailed behind with the remaining 39.8 per cent.
Wilson will take the electorate reigns from fellow ALP member Luke Donnellan, who retires from the seat after 20 years.
The Narre Warren North electorate was previously held by Labor by a margin of 10.4 per cent, but this election saw the Liberals gain a 0.8 per cent swing.
Despite this, the Liberal Party polled an 8.9 per cent loss in the primary vote, compared with 2018 figures.
The Greens’ Laura McLean finished third according to the running count, increasing the progressive party’s vote by 0.2 per cent for a total of 6.4 per cent of the primary vote.
The electorate contributes to a Labor stronghold in the South East, where the neighbouring seats of Narre Warren North, Cranbourne, Dandenong, Mulgrave and Monbulk were all retained by the ALP after Saturday’s election.
Berwick’s Brad Battin and Rowville’s Kim Wells are holding onto Liberal representation in the region, while Bass and Pakenham remain too close to call.
