By Goya Dmytryshchak
Labor’s Jill Hennessy has been returned to the seat of Altona.
With more than 23 per cent of first preference votes counted in tonight’s state election, Ms Hennessy was on 6483 (53.59 per cent), followed by Liberal Christian Martinu on 2659 (21.98 per cent), Independent Tony Hooper on 1525 (12.61 per cent), the Greens’ Emma-Jane Byrne on 1108 (9.16 per cent) and Independent Maria Aylward on 323 (2.67 per cent).
The two candidate preferred vote saw Ms Hennessy on 64.48 per cent (3851 votes) and Mr Martinu on 35.52 per cent (2121).
“I think there is something big going on,” Ms Hennessy said on the ABC election panel while watching huge early swings to Labor.
“Daniel Andrews got on with government, promised to get cracking on removing level crossings, has heavily invested in infrastructure,” she said.
“We’ve got the strongest economy – we’ve got the highest performing economy in the country – we’re building a pipeline of schools and hospitals.”
Altona takes in Altona, Altona Meadows, Laverton, Point Cook, Seabrook and Seaholme and parts of Altona North and Werribee.
Ms Hennessy was first elected to parliament in a 2010 byelection following the resignation of Lynn Kosky.
She has served as Health and Ambulance Services Minister since December 2014.
Going into the election, the seat was held by Labor with a 12.6 per cent margin.
The ABC predicted a 3.2 per cent swing to Labor.
