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Conservative Sky News commentator Peta Credlin has unleashed a furious spray on the Victorian Liberal Party, which suffered a convincing loss to Daniel Andrews’ Labor in the state election.
Major television networks, including the ABC’s respected election guru Antony Green, called the Victorian election for Labor shortly after 8 p.m. Saturday, barely two hours after the polls closed.
His government will retain its majority, with Mr Green claiming at least 48 seats for the ALP.
Reacting to the news, Credlin – who was once touted as a potential challenger to Andrews at the polls – was furious that the party was becoming “very comfortable” with being in the opposition and losing the election despite she had “a lot” to work with. against the prime minister.
Credlin, the former chief of staff to Liberal Prime Minister Tony Abbott, said the party was being destroyed by “factional warlordism” and denounced senior MPs for telling federal Liberals to back down, saying they “don’t understand Victoria.”
‘Really?! Because at the state level you lose so well in areas where we don’t lose at the federal level.’
Sky News presenter Peta Credlin (pictured left) blamed ‘factional warlordship’ and the Liberals ‘comfortable in opposition’ for their defeat in Saturday’s Victorian election
Dan Andrews (pictured) has led Labor to its third successive victory in Victoria
Ms Credlin said Victorian Liberals should be brave enough to clear out the ‘dead wood’ that has been around for 20 years and ‘all sweet bastards’.
“You see in chairs like Hastings and Nepean that if you put fresh blood into the vote, people will support it.”
“The Liberal party is not sure what it stands for in Victoria and I must say it is very comfortable in the opposition,” Credlin said.
“It has lost faith in itself that it can beat Labor and win.”
“You’re up against Dan Andrews and you can see in the swings (against Labour) there are grumpy people.”
“There’s plenty to work with.”
“Congratulations @DanielAndrewsMP what a great win,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese tweeted shortly after the result was announced.
The result drew cheers from Labor supporters gathered at the party’s election party at Mulgrave’s prime ministerial seat in south-east Melbourne. Mr Andrews’ mother and sister are also present.
The divisive prime minister’s victory comes despite his tough Covid policies, which forced Melbourne into a 263-day lockdown, the longest in the world.
Mr Andrews’ vaccine mandates infuriated some workers but were accepted by most of the population – and his government campaigned for promises of free kindergarten and renewable energy.
The Greens also appear on track to make significant gains in Saturday’s poll. They held the seats of Brunswick, Melbourne, Prahran, were expected to pick up Northcote and Richmond and were ahead in Pascoe Vale as of 9:30pm, according to the ABC.
Mr Andrews sent a message of hope as polls closed at 6pm on Saturday, telling voters ‘we’ll see you soon’ alongside a grinning photo.
Prime Minister Daniel Andrews sent out an early celebratory message telling voters ‘we’ll see you soon’ shortly before his victory
Labor supporters react to the Labor Party reception in Melbourne as Dan Andrews wins a third term in office
Labor supporters react to the Labor Party reception in Melbourne on Saturday following Andrews’ victory
Anthony Albanese sent Daniel Andrews a congratulatory message on Instagram following his election victory
Labor Party supporters cheer as they hear of the Labor Party’s victory in Victoria
The major networks – ABC, Sky, Seven and Nine – all called the race in favor of Mr Andrews shortly after 8pm
The divisive prime minister’s victory comes despite his hardline Covid policies that forced Melbourne into a 263-day lockdown, the longest in the world
The mood was sombre at the Liberal Party reception as the results came in just after 8pm
Ex-state Liberal President Michael Kroger told Sky News: “On balance, they will hold the government with a majority
His confidence was called into question earlier in the evening when Peta Credlin, the former chief of staff to Liberal Prime Minister Tony Abbott, said there was ‘no doubt the swing is underway’.
That swing — of about three percent — was nowhere near significant enough to oust his government from office, however.
Steve Bracks, former Victoria Premier for Labour, told Seven: ‘I might call it, I think it’s impossible for the Liberals to win. I think it’s almost certainly a Labor government.’
And ex-state Liberal President Michael Kroger told Sky News: “On balance they will hold the government with a majority. The early numbers are the same everywhere, and that’s the disappointing part.’
“Now we have to determine whether that is the majority or minority government. But what we can’t see is a path for the coalition to win enough seats to get into government and Labor will end up with more seats than the coalition.”
Earlier in the evening, former Strictly Ballroom star Paul Mercurio captured the Hastings for Labor seat from the Liberals.
But it wasn’t the only seat to change hands, as former professional tennis player Sam Groth declared victory in Nepean’s seat on the Mornington Peninsula, prying him early in Labour’s tally.
“I certainly didn’t expect them to call it this early in the evening, I’m very happy,” said Mr Groth.
“I haven’t had a chance to have a beer yet.”
A disappointed Georgie Crozier, the Liberals’ shadow health minister, reacted to the result, describing the evening as “incredibly disappointing”.
“Judging by the early votes coming in, this obviously isn’t a good result for us. It’s incredibly disappointing. That is what we see.
“As others have said, we need to accept this and learn from it and, you know, get back on that horse and show that we’re a viable alternative.
‘We’ve worked hard. We had what I felt was a very strong message, but it’s clear that the Victorian public didn’t get that.’
Labor Party supporters watch the election broadcast at Daniel Andrews’ seat in Mulgrave
Mr Andrews’ vaccine mandate enraged some workers but was accepted by most of the population
Labor supporters react to a successful evening at the Labor Party reception in Melbourne
Party loyalists watch a broadcast of election results at the Liberal Party reception in Melbourne
And discussing the surge of the Greens, former Liberal Prime Minister Jeff Kennett said the Greens’ higher vote in non-Melbourne seats is “surprising” and could “unfortunately trigger a very strong result for the government”.
“What is surprising, even in these early numbers, is the high voice of the Greens,” Kennett added.
“That they will get 15 per cent of the seats outside their own region if these numbers hold…those preferences go to the Labor Party and you might find a very strong result for the government, unfortunately.”
The result comes despite warnings from senior Labor and Coalition sources that it was likely to be a long night for both camps, with nearly two million pre-poll and postal votes falling later on Saturday night.