A sharp plunge in primary votes has failed to shake the Australian Labor Party’s grip on electoral power in the western suburbs.
The safe federal seats of Maribyrnong, Gellibrand and Lalor all
swung towards the Liberals on Saturday as returning Labor MP Bill
Shorten and newcomers Tim Watts and Joanne Ryan were each pushed to
preferences to cross the line.
The primary vote for Mr Watts in Gellibrand was down 12
per cent on former Attorney-General Nicola Roxon’s vote in 2010.
“It was always going to be difficult following a high-profile
member like Nicola Roxon,” Mr Watts said. “My job is to build a similar
trust and confidence going forward.”
Seen as a likely future frontbencher, Mr Watts, 31,
acknowledged the bitterly divisive leadership struggles were a toxic
distraction from the party’s message leading up to and during the
election campaign. He said the most important challenge was to rebuild
party unity.
“We need to be focused outwards on what Australians want, I think
people in my generation in the party have seen what has happened and it
will be different going forward.”
A silver lining for the ALP in Gellibrand was achieving victory at
every polling booth, though the Liberals and Greens both had strong
showings across the seat.
The Greens, securing 17 per cent of the overall vote, attracted 36
per cent of primary votes at one Seddon booth and 34 per cent at
Footscray South.
The Liberal Party’s best result was a 42 per cent vote at Williamstown West, compared to only 18 per cent in West Footscray.
Mr Watts said his number-one focus would remain protection of jobs in Gellibrand, particularly in auto manufacturing and ship building.
He would not be drawn on his preference for the party’s next leader.
“We haven’t even had a caucus yet so it would be precipitous to comment on that one.”
Maribyrnong MP Bill Shorten has long been touted as a possible leader but other contenders to emerge include Anthony Albanese.
