By Matthew Sims
Star Weekly has looked back through the archives for 2022 and selected some of our favourite stories of the year, including our wrap of the 2022 federal election in Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay.
Gellibrand Labor MP Tim Watts has retained his seat as part of a Labor victory which has seen a 3.85 per cent swing against the Liberal Party.
In the seat of Gellibrand, Mr Watts has experienced a 1.06 per cent swing against him on a two-party preferred basis but still retained the seat with 61.97 per cent of the overall vote, with 74.89 per cent of ballots counted at the time of publication.
He received more than 43 per cent of the first preference votes with 30,757 votes, while Liberal candidate Monica Clark received 19,023 first preference votes, which represented a 5.78 per cent swing against him on first preference votes.
In a Facebook post on Sunday, May 22, Mr Watts said he was keen to start work on a number of goals for the Gellibrand electorate.
“I’m excited to get to work on delivering on our commitments to Australia – implementing the Uluru Statement from the heart, legislating a national anti-corruption commission, turning Australia into a renewable energy super power, making childcare cheaper for Australian families, fixing the aged care crisis and making it easier for everyone to see a doctor,” he said.
Mr Watts said he was looking forward to contributing to the new parliament during the coming term and working within a more inclusive government.
“Last night Australians took the first step towards changing the country,” he said.
“I look forward to getting to work delivering a better future for Melbourne’s west in an Albanese Labor Government.”
In the seat of Fraser, Labor MP Daniel Mulino retained his seat with 65.04 per cent of the two-party preferred vote, which represented a 3.01 per cent swing towards the Liberal Party.
Mr Mulino received 30,755 first preference votes, while Liberal candidate David Wood received 18,013 first preference votes, which represented a 8.42 per cent swing against Mr Mulino compared to the 2019 election.
