Gregor Mactaggart
THE ABC and Sky News has called Monash in favour of incumbent Russell Broadbent.
With 63 polling places counted, Mr Broadbent (Liberal) has attracted 37.95 per cent of first preferences.
Despite a swing of 9.81 per cent against him, Mr Broadbent holds sway on a two-party preferred basis.
He currently sits at 53.64 per cent compared to Labor candidate Jessica O’Donnell (46.36 per cent).
Ms O’Donnell is tracking at 24.62 per cent first preference votes, a swing of 5.03 per cent away from her vote in 2019.
Independent Deb Leonard has attracted 11.37 per cent of first preferences.
Greens contender Mat Morgan is at 10.20 per cent, a gain of more than 3 per cent on the party’s vote in 2019.
One Nation’s Allan Hicken is at 7.16 per cent, followed by Christine McShane (UAP) 4.04 per cent, Meg Edwards (Liberal Democrats) 3.94 per cent and David Welsh (Australian Federation Party) 0.73 per cent.
The Darren Chester juggernaut continues in Gippsland.
The Nationals Member has attracted 56.97 per cent of first preference votes, an increase of 0.87 per cent on 2019.
Labor candidate Jannette Langley is at 17.81 per cent, with One Nation’s Greg Hansford 9.08 per cent and Greens’ Marjorie Thorpe 8.18 per cent in a battle for third.
On a two-party preferred basis, Mr Chester is at 72.35 per cent to Ms Langley 27.65 per cent.
Mr Broadbent and Mr Chester will now both be in Opposition, with Scott Morrison calling Anthony Albanese to concede the election.
Mr Albanese will be Australia’s 31st Prime Minister.
8.30PM: THE battle for Monash continues to tighten up.
With 50 polling places counted, Liberal incumbent Russell Broadbent has polled 37.85 per cent of first preference votes.
That represents a swing of 8.65 per cent against Mr Broadbent.
Labor’s Jessica O’Donnell is tracking at 24.23 per cent first preference, a swing of 5.01 per cent on her vote from the 2019 election.
Independent Deb Leonard is picking up that difference, polling 10.94 per cent.
Ms Leonard is just ahead of Greens candidate Mat Morgan.
Mr Morgan is at 10.20 per cent, a swing to him of 2.35 per cent on the previous election.
One Nation’s Allan Hicken has polled 7.77 per cent, with Christine McShane (United Australia Party) 4.55 per cent, Meg Edwards (Liberal Democrats) 3.57 per cent and David Welsh (Australia Federation Party) 0.89 per cent.
On a two-party preferred basis, Mr Broadbent is at 53.57 per cent with Ms O’Donnell on 46.43 per cent.
Booths yet to be counted include Drouin, Inverloch, Korumburra, Moe, Moe West and Trafalgar.
In Gippsland, Darren Chester’s dominance has strengthened with 56 polling stations counted.
Mr Chester is tracking at 57.49 per cent on first preference, 1.02 per cent more than the 2019 election.
That translates to a two-party preferred figure of 72.08 per cent, a swing of 5.41 per cent to him.
Labor’s Jannette Langley has polled 16.69 per cent, a swing away from the party of 4.17 per cent.
One Nation’s Greg Hansford is third with 9.03 per cent.
From a national landscape point of view, Labor is in front.
As of 8.15pm, the ABC has Labor winning 61 seats, the Coalition on 47 seats, six seats to the minor parties and 37 seats in doubt.
7.30PM: SKY News and the ABC says Darren Chester has already won the seat of Gippsland.
The two broadcasters called the race over more than an hour after the polls closed with Mr
Chester, who first won the seat in 2008, tracking at 70 per cent on a two-party preferred basis.
According to the official AEC Tally Room with 31 polling places counted, Mr Chester has attracted 54.19 per cent of the primary vote.
Labor’s Jannette Langley is polling at 17.37 per cent, with One Nation’s Greg Hansford at 10.42 per cent.
Greens contender Marjorie Thorpe is at 8.59 per cent, with United Australia Party’s Gregory Forster (5.74 per cent) and Liberal Democrats’ Jim McDonald (3.68 per cent) rounding out the field.
The race is tightening in Monash, where Labor candidate Jessica O’Donnell is closing the gap on incumbent Russell Broadbent.
With 36 polling places returned, including Newborough, Newborough East, Erica and Narracan, Mr Broadbent has attracted 39.70 per cent of the first preferences.
The current figure represents a swing against the Liberal member of 8.70 per cent.
Ms O’Donnell is tracking at 24.04 per cent of the vote.
On a two-party preferred basis, Mr Broadbent is 52.37 per cent compared to Ms O’Donnell 47.63 per cent.
Independent Deb Leonard has attracted 10.84 per cent of the vote.
Greens candidate Mat Morgan is at 9.72 per cent, with One Nation’s Allan Hicken on 7.66 per cent.
The other contenders are less than five per cent.
7PM: INCUMBENT Russell Broadbent is off to a strong start in the race for Monash.
With 12 polling places counted, including Thorpdale, Mr Broadbent has received 44.95 per cent of first preferences.
Labor contender Jessica O’Donnell has attracted 21.70 per cent of the vote.
Independent Deb Leonard sits third with 9.91 per cent, just ahead of The Greens candidate Mat Morgan 9.76 per cent.
Other current figures are as follows:Allan Hicken (One Nation) 5.35 per cent, Christ ine McShane (United Australia Party) 3.95 per cent, Meg Edwards (Liberal Democrats) 3.74 per cent, David Welsh (Australian Federation Party) 0.64 per cent.
It is a similar story in Gippsland, where Darren Chester (Nationals) has started strongly.
With 16 polling places counted, including Hazelwood North, Mr Chester has attracted 51.99 per cent of first preferences.
Labor’s Jannette Langley has received 18.83 per cent of first preferences, with One Nation’s Greg Hansford on 10.71 per cent.
Marjorie Thorpe (Greens) is on 9 per cent, Gregory Forster (United Australia Party) at 5.16 per cent and Jim McDonald (Liberal Democrats) on 4.28 per cent.
6.30PM: THE first votes are in for the seat of Gippsland and Monash.
The Gippsland-based booths of Glenmaggie and Nowa Nowa have been counted.
Incumbent Darren Chester has polled 198 votes (53.66 per cent) of the primary vote.
Labor’s Jannette Langley attracted 54 votes (14.63 per cent), One Nation’s Greg Hansford 38 votes (10.30 per cent), United Australian Party’s Gregory Forster and Greens’ Marjorie Thorpe 32 votes (8.67 per cent each), and Liberal Democrats’ Jim McDonald 15 votes (4.07 per cent).
In Monash, the booth of Bena has been counted.
Incumbent Russell Broadbent has polled 161 votes (47.49 per cent) of the primary vote.
Labor’s Jessica O’Donnell received 74 votes (21.83 per cent), with independent Deb Leonard 45 votes (13.27 per cent).
None of the other eight contenders received more than five per cent in the South Gippsland-based polling station.
6PM: THE POLLS have closed across the eastern seaboard for the Federal Election.
In Gippsland, Darren Chester is the $1.01 favourite to retain his seat.
A total of 114,568 people are enrolled in the seat of Gippsland.
Mr Chester polled 66.67 per cent on a two-party preferred vote at the 2019 election compared to Labor’s 33.33 per cent.
Incumbent Russell Broadbent has been tipped to retain the seat of Monash, with Labor’s Jessica O’Donnell and Independent Deb Leonard expected to prove his stiffest opposition.
A total of 111,241 people are enrolled in the seat of Monash.
Mr Broadbent polled 56.86 per cent on a two-party preferred vote at the 2019 election compared to Ms O’Donnell 43.14 per cent.
Overall, Labor is fancied to win the Federal Election, a result that would make Anthony Albanese the country’s 31st Prime Minister.
We’ll provide live coverage of how the voting is faring.
