Vote counting in the three Legislative Council seats up for election this year show that all three sitting members will be returned, and comfortably so.
Murchison MLC Ruth Forrest is also returned with 71.84% of the vote in the western and north-western seat meaning preferences will not need to be distributed. The independent is streets ahead of serial candidate Brenton Jones (SFF) with 13.48% and other independents Codie Hutchison and Gatty Burnett on 10.92% and 3.72% respectively.
The division of Launceston will also not need to go preferences. Independent Rosemary Armitage on 78.42% has clearly defeated the Greens’ Cecily Rosol on 21.58%.
In Rumney Labor’s Sarah Lovell has 49.98% of the vote, well ahead of nearest challenger Gregory Brown (Liberal) with just 26.50%. Independent Tony Mulder 17.07% is further behind in third, followed by Adrian Pickin of SFF stone cold last with 6.45%. It is likely that the first distribution of preferences, if it even comes to that, will put Lovell over the finish line.
Lovell issued a statement on Sunday saying:
“I am extremely grateful and humbled by the overwhelming support from the people of Rumney. I thank them for their support and will continue to work very hard to represent them.
The election result is a strong vindication of state Labor’s key priorities of health, housing and cost of living. These are the issues that I campaigned on and will always champion and which Labor will always prioritise. The election result is also a very strong vindication of state Labor’s direction under the strong leadership of Rebecca White.
We will continue to hold the Liberal Government to account for their failures on health, housing and the cost of living, and look forward to rolling out more positive plans to take Tasmania forward in the near future.”
All figures are as at close of counting on Monday 8 May 2023.
