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| Kristina Keneally says Bennelong byelection a referendum on Turnbull government | Kristina Keneally says Bennelong byelection a referendum on Turnbull government |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Kristina Keneally, the Labor candidate for the Sydney seat of Bennelong, has declared the upcoming byelection a referendum on Malcolm Turnbull’s Liberal government. | Kristina Keneally, the Labor candidate for the Sydney seat of Bennelong, has declared the upcoming byelection a referendum on Malcolm Turnbull’s Liberal government. |
| Appearing with opposition leader Bill Shorten at her campaign launch on Sunday, Keneally told supporters that the battle for the seat was “no ordinary byelection”, but rather “an opportunity”. | Appearing with opposition leader Bill Shorten at her campaign launch on Sunday, Keneally told supporters that the battle for the seat was “no ordinary byelection”, but rather “an opportunity”. |
| “For the next 27 days, the eyes of Australia are going to be on Bennelong,” she said. “So come along with me, let’s get out there and give them a show.” | “For the next 27 days, the eyes of Australia are going to be on Bennelong,” she said. “So come along with me, let’s get out there and give them a show.” |
| After Saturday’s Galaxy poll declared the race too close to call, Ryde Civic Hall was filled with red balloons, hundreds of volunteers, a string of Labor’s star frontbenchers and even a traditional Chinese dragon dance – in a sign of how much of its resources Labor was pooling in the crucial seat. | |
| “Let’s be real for a moment,” Keneally said, “Labor is trying to take Bennelong”. | “Let’s be real for a moment,” Keneally said, “Labor is trying to take Bennelong”. |
| Her opponent, the sitting MP John Alexander, has suffered an 8.4 percentage point drop in his primary vote since the 2016 election, while Keneally’s candidacy, announced on Tuesday, boosted Labor’s vote by 10.5 points, according to the poll. | Her opponent, the sitting MP John Alexander, has suffered an 8.4 percentage point drop in his primary vote since the 2016 election, while Keneally’s candidacy, announced on Tuesday, boosted Labor’s vote by 10.5 points, according to the poll. |
| This leaves the two candidates on an even 50-50 split after preferences, with Alexander just ahead of the former New South Wales premier by three points on primary votes. | This leaves the two candidates on an even 50-50 split after preferences, with Alexander just ahead of the former New South Wales premier by three points on primary votes. |
| Shorten suggested a win in Bennelong would signal the end of Turnbull’s prime ministership, in a speech that functioned as a Labor campaign pitch for the next federal election. | Shorten suggested a win in Bennelong would signal the end of Turnbull’s prime ministership, in a speech that functioned as a Labor campaign pitch for the next federal election. |
| “There are millions of voters around the nation who are envious of the voters of Bennelong,” he said. “Bennelong has a chance to speak for Australia and to send a message to Mr Turnbull. | “There are millions of voters around the nation who are envious of the voters of Bennelong,” he said. “Bennelong has a chance to speak for Australia and to send a message to Mr Turnbull. |
| “Let us send a message from Bennelong that the nation will hear. Let us send Kristina to Canberra ... They will hear that message loud and clear, right through to the next general election, whenever that is.” | “Let us send a message from Bennelong that the nation will hear. Let us send Kristina to Canberra ... They will hear that message loud and clear, right through to the next general election, whenever that is.” |
| Keneally, who strayed from her podium to walk around the packed town hall, said she would campaign on issues of Medicare and education in the seat which famously unseated sitting Liberal prime minister John Howard in 2007. | Keneally, who strayed from her podium to walk around the packed town hall, said she would campaign on issues of Medicare and education in the seat which famously unseated sitting Liberal prime minister John Howard in 2007. |
| “My mother was the first in her family to go to university and she became a primary school teacher,” Keneally said. “She taught me the value of education and it’s something I try to teach to my own children. My youngest son Brendan isn’t here today, because he’s at home studying for his assessments. | “My mother was the first in her family to go to university and she became a primary school teacher,” Keneally said. “She taught me the value of education and it’s something I try to teach to my own children. My youngest son Brendan isn’t here today, because he’s at home studying for his assessments. |
| “Here in Bennelong there are five schools at capacity: Eastwood Heights, Eastwood, Kent Road, West Ryde and Meadowbank. There is an $8.6m maintanence backlog in schools in Ryde, and it’s not good enough.” | “Here in Bennelong there are five schools at capacity: Eastwood Heights, Eastwood, Kent Road, West Ryde and Meadowbank. There is an $8.6m maintanence backlog in schools in Ryde, and it’s not good enough.” |
| The much-anticipated byelection is scheduled for 16 December, and was triggered last Saturday when sitting MP John Alexander resigned over concerns he held British citizenship. | The much-anticipated byelection is scheduled for 16 December, and was triggered last Saturday when sitting MP John Alexander resigned over concerns he held British citizenship. |
| Alexander has since renounced his citizenship and is free to contest the seat again, which he has held since 2010. | Alexander has since renounced his citizenship and is free to contest the seat again, which he has held since 2010. |
| But a Labor win would increase the pressure on Malcolm Turnbull, whose government has been destabilised by the unfolding dual citizenship crisis. | But a Labor win would increase the pressure on Malcolm Turnbull, whose government has been destabilised by the unfolding dual citizenship crisis. |
| The prime minister won a one-seat majority at the 2016 election, but after the resignations of New England MP Barnaby Joyce and Alexander, he has had to rely on votes from crossbenchers to maintain confidence and supply. | The prime minister won a one-seat majority at the 2016 election, but after the resignations of New England MP Barnaby Joyce and Alexander, he has had to rely on votes from crossbenchers to maintain confidence and supply. |
| In an over-capacity hall, the campaign launch saw appearances from deputy opposition leader Tanya Plibersek, federal MP Linda Burney, senators Sam Dastyari and Doug Cameron, NSW opposition leader Luke Foley and federal MP Anne Aly, who flew in from Western Australia. | In an over-capacity hall, the campaign launch saw appearances from deputy opposition leader Tanya Plibersek, federal MP Linda Burney, senators Sam Dastyari and Doug Cameron, NSW opposition leader Luke Foley and federal MP Anne Aly, who flew in from Western Australia. |
| With Keneally’s opponents campaigning on her unpopular tenure as New South Wales premier, and her links to corrupt Labor powerbroker Eddie Obeid, Shorten said the government’s “personal attacks” showed “how worried they are”. | With Keneally’s opponents campaigning on her unpopular tenure as New South Wales premier, and her links to corrupt Labor powerbroker Eddie Obeid, Shorten said the government’s “personal attacks” showed “how worried they are”. |
| The opposition leader also had to defend his decision to appear in Bennelong alongside Keneally instead of attending Queensland Labor’s official state election launch on the Gold Coast. | The opposition leader also had to defend his decision to appear in Bennelong alongside Keneally instead of attending Queensland Labor’s official state election launch on the Gold Coast. |
| A spokesman said Shorten had “already campaigned on the ground” in Queensland. | A spokesman said Shorten had “already campaigned on the ground” in Queensland. |
| Speaking in Sydney, Shorten said Labor and Keneally were the underdogs in the battle for the crucial seat, where a win would remove Malcolm Turnbull’s one-seat majority in the lower house. | Speaking in Sydney, Shorten said Labor and Keneally were the underdogs in the battle for the crucial seat, where a win would remove Malcolm Turnbull’s one-seat majority in the lower house. |
| “We start this election as undisputed underdogs, it is a very steep mountain we need to climb. We have 9,000 minds to change in 27 days.” | “We start this election as undisputed underdogs, it is a very steep mountain we need to climb. We have 9,000 minds to change in 27 days.” |