Melbourne’s western and northern suburbs held strong for Labor as Anthony Albanese was returned as prime minister on Saturday.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton conceded the election at 9.30pm and congratulated Mr Albanese.
As of 9.30pm, Labor was ahead in 72 seats and projected to pick up a few more.
McEwen
McEwen was tipped to be one of the seats to watch this election and attracted a number of promises from both major parties. But as of 9pm, the AEC was predicting that Labor’s Rob Mitchell would not only hold on to the seat but would enjoy a 2.21 per cent swing towards him.
The AEC was projecting that Mr Mitchell would win the seat 56.03 per cent compared to Liberal candidate Jason McClintock’s 43.97 per cent on a two-party basis.
Prior to the election, Mr Mitchell held McEwen by 3.8 per cent, making it a marginal electorate.
He has held the seat since 2010.
The electorate covers 2288 square kilometres across Victoria’s north and north-east, sweeping through Gisborne, Macedon, Wallan, Whittlesea and Diamond Creek.
Scullin
Labor’s Amdrew Giles is likely to be returned in Scullin.
As of 9pm, the AEC was projecting that Mr Giles would retain the seat 66.13 per cent to the Liberal’s 33.87 per cent on a two-party basis. That would represent a 0.7 per cent swing to Labor.
With first preferences counted at 41 per cent of polling booths as of 9pm, Mr Giles had a primary vote of 45.83.
Mr Giles has represented the seat since 2013 and enjoyed a margin of 15.4 per cent before the election.
Scullin stretches across 174 square kilometres and includes suburbs like Thomastown, Epping, Lalor, Mill Park, South Morang, and parts of Wollert and Bundoora.
Calwell
Counting in Calwell is progressing slowly, with first preferences and the two-candidate preferred count completed at just three of 36 polling booths as of 9pm.
Despite the slow progress on the count, the AEC was projecting that Labor’s Basem Abdo would win the seat.
Mr Abdo had secured 32.08 per cent of first preference votes with 14 polling booths returned.
Liberal candidate Usman Ghani had 13.1 per cent of first preference votes.
Breathing down his neck was independent candidate Carly Moore – a Hume councillor and former mayor – who had 12.58 per cent of the first preference votes.
Calwell has been represented by Labor since the seat was created in 1984. Maria Vamvakinou held the seat since 2001 but retired at the election.
Calwell stretches across 191 square kilometres on the city’s fringe, taking in the diverse and rapidly growing suburbs of Broadmeadows, Dallas, Coolaroo, Meadow Heights, Greenvale, Roxburgh Park, Craigieburn, and Mickleham.
Maribyrnong
Maribyrnong has a new MP but it is likely it will remain a Labor stronghold.
As of 9pm, the AEC was projecting that Labor would win the seat 65.76 per cent to the Liberal Party’s 34.24 per cent on a two-party preferred basis.
Those figures represent a 2.05 per cent swing to Labor.
According to the AEC, Labor’s Jo Briskey 41.58 per cent of first preferences, with 64 per cent of polling booths counted.
Liberal candidate Tim Beddoe had 28.69 per cent.
Bill Shorten retired as Maribyrnong MP in January, having represented the seat since 2007.
Prior to the election, Labor held the seat by a margin of 13 per cent.
Based in Melbourne’s western suburbs, Maribyrnong covers 70 square kilometres between CityLink and Pascoe Vale Road in the east, and the Maribyrnong River in the west.
Among the suburbs it covers is Gladstone Park, Keilor Park and Tullamarine.
Labor has held the seat from 1969 and is classed a very safe seat heading into the election.
