By Parker McKenzie
With the Labor Party’s Daniela De Martino replacing retiring Monbulk MP James Merlino to represent the hills, Monbulk has a new member of parliament for the first time since 2002.
Ms De Martino — a former teacher, industrial officer and small business owner — saw a swing against her of 5.7 per cent in first preference votes, however, after preferences were allocated she defeated Liberal candidate Gareth Ward by 58.4 per cent to 41.6 per cent two-party preferred at time of print.
Ms De Martino said she was both proud and happy about the campaign the Labor Party ran on a state and local level.
“We’ll be espousing and endorsing hope and positivity through the vision Labor has for the state of Victoria,” she said.
“We’ve got a proud record of achievement in the past eight years and the Victorian people have trusted us to continue with that.”
She replaces Mr Merlino after the long-term Monbulk MP, former deputy premier and education minister announced his retirement earlier in the year.
Ms De Martino said she was committed to continuing Mr Merlino’s 20-year legacy as Monbulk’s representative.
“Just making sure that I’m always listening to what the people need and what they want to see for their electorate,” she said.
“Continuing to do what matters, making sure we are continuing the legacy and strong record of achievement in education, continued investment in health and doing what the people have elected us to do.”
In an online statement, Mr Ward congratulated Ms De Martino and said unfortunately the result didn’t go the way he hoped it would.
“Jumping from a trade into politics has been a real challenge and very eye-opening seeing the inner workings,” he said.
“I gave it my best despite challenges with time, experience and budgets.”
Ms De Martino won 36.3 per cent of the first preference vote, with Mr Ward seeing an 8.8 per cent swing against him compared to his predecessor in 2018 with 28.8 per cent of the vote at the time of print. The two-party preference results at the time of print is a similar result to Mr Merlino’s electoral victory in 2018, where he won 58.6 per cent of the two-party preferred vote.
During the campaign, a crowded field of candidates and volunteers spent long hours at the electorates’ sole pre-polling location on Main Road, Monbulk and it wasn’t without conflict. Ms De Martino told the Star Mail she wouldn’t comment on reports of a confrontation between herself and another candidate on the final day of early voting and that it was “a matter for the VEC.”
She said she would continue to prepare herself for the job that lies ahead.
“Once we’re set up and ready to go, I’m just going to do my best to represent the people of Monbulk,” Ms De Martino said.
At the time of print, Greens candidate Michael Ormsby — a late nomination who wasn’t the party’s first choice — achieved 15 per cent of the vote at the time of print, a 1.3 per cent swing against the progressive party when compared to the 2018 result. Independent candidates Johanna Skelton, who is a Yarra Ranges councillor, and Craig Cole won 5.9 and 5.6 per cent of the first preference votes respectively.
Leah Folloni from the Animal Justice Party won 4.1 per cent, Family First Victoria’s David Higgins received 2.5 per cent and Freedom Party Victoria’s Veronica Barnes won 1.9 per cent of the vote.
