Greens leader Adam Bandt loses seat in federal election
Dominic Giannini and Tess Ikonomou |
Greens leader Adam Bandt has lost his seat after holding it for almost 15 years, becoming the second federal party leader to be ousted.
The ABC has called the seat of Melbourne for Labor candidate Sarah Witty, after a race that went down to the wire.
Mr Bandt was first elected to the parliament in 2010, and has led the party since 2020.
The Greens were all but wiped out in the lower house, also losing two seats in Brisbane.
Elizabeth Watson-Brown is expected to retain the Queensland seat of Ryan to be the sole Greens MP in the House of Representatives.
The party’s primary vote largely held up and it will retain the balance of power in the Senate.
About a dozen seats remain undecided with Labor leading in six, the Liberals in four and independents in two.
Mr Bandt is the second federal leader to lose his seat after Liberal leader Peter Dutton was voted out in Dickson.
Mr Dutton was seen in public for the first time since losing his seat in parliament and the federal election.
The opposition leader returned to Canberra on Wednesday afternoon.
Wearing a dark blue suit, an opened-collared shirt and his signature specs, he offered a few words to waiting journalists.
When asked who should replace him, Mr Dutton suggested it was best for former leaders to “maintain a graceful silence”.
As to his next steps, he said he was looking forward to spending more time with friends and family.
As the outgoing member for Dickson ran the media gauntlet, Labor backroom powerbrokers continued to divide the spoils of victory.
Not everyone wins a prize following Labor’s landslide win, with one senior minister expected to lose their position as cabinet spots are shared around.
Powerbrokers are meeting to determine the makeup of the new cabinet and ministry, with spots allocated according to a delicate balance between left and right factions as well as state representation.
Labor’s caucus will meet in Canberra on Friday with ultimate authority resting with Anthony Albanese after his thumping election win, extending his majority by at least nine seats.
Its left faction, from which the prime minister hails, is generally considered the more socially progressive and economically liberal wing.
Following the election, it outnumbers the more conservative right faction in caucus.
A senior minister could be on the chopping block as the NSW right is over-represented in cabinet and their Victorian counterparts are screaming for another spot.
There are five members of the NSW Right in federal cabinet: Tony Burke (home affairs), Chris Bowen (climate change and energy), Jason Clare (education), Ed Husic (industry and science), and Michelle Rowland (communications).
Geographic spread and gender balance will be considered as part of the deliberations.
Labor’s senior leadership team is expected to remain in their portfolios.
The depth of Labor’s cabinet contenders contrasts a Liberal leadership dearth as the party soul searches after Peter Dutton became the first opposition leader to lose his seat.
Shadow treasurer Angus Taylor and Liberal deputy leader Sussan Ley have been hitting the phones to garner support, with immigration spokesman Dan Tehan likely to run as deputy to one of the two.
AAP
