By EMMA SUN
HILLS residents have voted in favour of a change, re-electing Tony Smith for Casey and voting in Jason Wood for La Trobe.
As of early yesterday afternoon (Monday), the two Liberal members had beaten their Labor counterparts with a margin of 4.72 per cent and 5.08 per cent, with only a few polling places left to count.
Mr Wood, whose count was at 36,576 compared to previous MP Laura Smyth’s 31,890, held 53.42 per cent of votes on two-candidate preferred.
He said he was very excited and humbled to be given another opportunity to deliver his commitments.
“The great news for the hills is the $2.4 million to bushfire fuel reduction and weed eradication within the Dandenong Ranges for private land and Crown land – that’s something I’m really pleased about,” he said.
“We’re in a position now where my job is to ensure those projects are delivered and they will be delivered, it’s unfinished business for me because I made these commitments for two elections in the row.
“It’s definitely exciting times.”
Mr Wood was leading the first preferences with 45.71 per cent of votes, followed by Ms Smyth on 32.54 per cent, Greens candidate Michael Schilling on 10.06 per cent, Palmer United’s Jason Kennedy on 5.18 per cent, Sex Party’s Martin Leahy on 2.76 per cent, Family First Party’s Daniel Martin on 1.71 per cent, Democratic Labor’s Rachel Jenkins on 1.31 per cent and Rise Up Australia’s Kevin Seaman on 0.73 per cent.
For the Casey electorate, Mr Smith, the previous MP, received 40,314 votes compared to Labor’s Cathy Farrell on 30,940, and held 56.58 per cent of votes on two-candidate preferred as of Monday.
He said he was humbled to be re-elected.
“This electorate wants a strong local plan to improve our community and the feedback I received was the initiatives I put forward as a result of my community consultation were receiving strong endorsement,” he said.
“A few of the early ones will be the Mount Evelyn netball club change facilities and all four of the Green Army projects, which are set to start July next year.
“I just want to thank the community for their support, and endorsement, and I will work flat out on their behalf.”
Mr Smith was leading the first preferences with 48.58 per cent of votes, followed by Ms Farrell on 28.38 per cent, Greens candidate Steve Meacher on 11 per cent, Palmer United’s Milton Wilde on 5.07 per cent, Family First’s Gary Coombes on 2.70 per cent, independent Jeanette McRae on 1.38 per cent, Australian Christians’ Mike Brown on 1.34 per cent, Country Alliance’s Jeffrey Leake on 1.05 per cent and Rise Up Australia’s Paul Barbieri on 0.49 per cent.
