Labor has won the Victorian election.
According to ABC election data, Victoria will have a new government tomorrow. State Liberal Leader Denis Napthine has conceded that Labor has won the election and Daniel Andrews will be Victoria’s next Premier.
ABC Election Analyst Antony Green has predicted that Labor is set to win 48 seats, which would give them government with a majority of eight seats. With two thirds of the vote counted, Labor has achieved a swing of more than 3%
It’s an historic win as it’s the first time in 60 years that a government has been defeated after just one term.
The Greens are claiming their first ever seat in the Victorian Parliament, which will be held by Ellen Sandell in the seat of Melbourne. The Greens continue to have high hopes of winning a second seat in the electorate of Richmond.
An Australian student and a teacher have died following a bus crash in New Zealand.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has confirmed the death of two Australians following a bus crash in New Zealand late yesterday afternoon. The teacher and student were part of a group from Queensland’s Sunshine Coast on a school camp.
Teacher Andre Vogel, 36, was driving the van when the crash occurred 40 kilometres south of Rotorua. Police later confirmed both he and 16-year-old student Gabriel Runge died at the scene. The van’s seven other passengers were also injured, with another 16-year-old being flown to hospital in a critical condition.
The school group were visiting from Noose Pengari Steiner School. You can read more here.
The Queen sends her condolences to the Hughes family.
Queen Elizabeth II has sent her sympathies to the family of deceased batsman Phillip Hughes. The message of condolence was conveyed privately on Friday night.
To honour the batsman, who played for three county sides in England between 2009 and 2012, flags at Australia House in London flew at half-mast. It is also reported that the Australian High Commission has received countless letters of support for Hughes.
A minutes’ silence will be held in Hughes’ hometown of Macksville tonight where much of the local community is still coming to terms with the freak accident. The town, just south of Coffs Harbour in New South Wales, is still home to Hughes’ family.
Meanwhile the first Test between Australia and India, which was scheduled for December 4 in Brisbane, remains up in the air. Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said on Friday that cricket would only continue when the players are ready. You can read more here.
Victoria goes to the polls with experts tipping a change of government.
Victoria has headed to the polls this morning with reports speculating that Labor is tipped to win government with a small majority. However the Coalition has been gaining ground in recent weeks after falling behind Labor’s early lead.
The most recent Newspoll survey is tipping a slim Labor victory with Labor leading 52 to 48 percent on a two party preferred basis. This is significantly tighter than the previous poll which had Labor leading 56 to 44 percent.
