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| Kristina Keneally concedes Bennelong byelection to John Alexander – as it happened | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Well, that was quite the night. | |
| Labor didn’t get the result it was hoping for, but both publicly and privately, the party doesn’t seem overly upset. | |
| Malcolm Turnbull looks like all his Christmases have come at once. John Alexander said … some things (there should be an apology for that disabled comment. It is not a matter of “pride” to have to use a disabled parking sticker). | |
| And it won’t be the last we see of Kristina Keneally. I would say that political career has been well and truly resurrected. | |
| So, looking forward, we have a reshuffle to look forward and the mid-year economic and fiscal outlook ahead of us, so don’t start relaxing just yet. | |
| And unless David Feeney can come up with proof he sent his paperwork off in 2007, we are most likely off to a byelection in Batman sometime early next year. | |
| So don’t expect the excitement to stop anytime soon! | |
| Thank you again for joining me for this special edition of Politics Live (I know, I know, what else would you be doing on a Saturday night. What else would I be doing?!) and a massive thank you to Mike Bowers, Anne Davies, Michael McGowan and the whole Guardian Australia team for their efforts tonight. | |
| I am as excited about going to sleep as Malcolm Turnbull was at winning, so I will bid you a goodnight. | |
| But I will be back in 2018! So, please enjoy your weekend and have a wonderful summer break. Sending all the merry happy everythings no matter what you celebrate, take care and please wear sunscreen. | |
| I’ll catch you on the other side. | |
| Because Mike Bowers is a super-human, he managed to make it over to Liberal HQ. The man is a marvel. | Because Mike Bowers is a super-human, he managed to make it over to Liberal HQ. The man is a marvel. |
| Photos of Malcolm Turnbull and John Alexander haven’t come through as yet (Mike Bowers was at Labor HQ) but I can offer you this | Photos of Malcolm Turnbull and John Alexander haven’t come through as yet (Mike Bowers was at Labor HQ) but I can offer you this |
| We are almost at the end – the latest count has Labor with a 7.58% swing in its primary vote, but on a two-party preferred measure (at this time – we still have postals to go as well) it’s sitting on about 5.58%. | |
| Sidenote: John Alexander was talking about a time when he injured his back and thought his tennis career was over: | Sidenote: John Alexander was talking about a time when he injured his back and thought his tennis career was over: |
| The doctor at the time said, “You have eligibility for a disabled sticker.” | The doctor at the time said, “You have eligibility for a disabled sticker.” |
| “I said, ‘I still have some pride.’ That was before I entered politics!” | |
| This “joke” may be one of the reasons he was kept as quiet as possible during the campaign, with senior ministers doing all the talking for him. | |
| “I’m sure it wasn’t a deliberate thing, not mentioning her in their speeches,” Christopher Pyne says, adding that Labor ran a “very dirty campaign”. | “I’m sure it wasn’t a deliberate thing, not mentioning her in their speeches,” Christopher Pyne says, adding that Labor ran a “very dirty campaign”. |
| That probably went both ways in this one. | That probably went both ways in this one. |
| Malcolm Turnbull has ramped up his New England win excitement to about 1,000. | |
| The prime minister is loving life sick right now. | The prime minister is loving life sick right now. |
| Notable: Neither Turnbull or John Alexander acknowledged any of their opponents, including Kristina Keneally. | Notable: Neither Turnbull or John Alexander acknowledged any of their opponents, including Kristina Keneally. |
| John Alexander finishes his speech by turning to Malcolm Turnbull and telling him “this is the renaissance of your leadership”. | John Alexander finishes his speech by turning to Malcolm Turnbull and telling him “this is the renaissance of your leadership”. |
| “Bennelong’s champion, Australia’s champion” gets one last push. @AmyRemeikis pic.twitter.com/LZ9TTBsmhO | “Bennelong’s champion, Australia’s champion” gets one last push. @AmyRemeikis pic.twitter.com/LZ9TTBsmhO |
| Alexander: | |
| This event over the last five weeks, I think, under Malcolm, has brought us together. It’s been the most unifying and humbling experience. I think that Malcolm would agree that we had something like 800 volunteers working today ... which makes us just two of 800 and that’s how it is. We were a team where every single person is so valued, so appreciated and jus thank you, thank you so much. | |
| He then thanks the people of Bennelong. | He then thanks the people of Bennelong. |
| The overwhelming feeling, and we feel tonight, is that there is an incredible moment of elation and it’s very, very similar to when you are selected to represent your country in sport. | The overwhelming feeling, and we feel tonight, is that there is an incredible moment of elation and it’s very, very similar to when you are selected to represent your country in sport. |
| “But the immediate reaction that you have after that moment of elation is that you have a responsibility and that’s a responsibility to do your absolute best. | “But the immediate reaction that you have after that moment of elation is that you have a responsibility and that’s a responsibility to do your absolute best. |
| “Under Malcolm for the people of Australia, and for me, for the people of Bennelong. Again, thank you so much.” | “Under Malcolm for the people of Australia, and for me, for the people of Bennelong. Again, thank you so much.” |
| John Alexander is now allowed to speak: | John Alexander is now allowed to speak: |
| This... is an extraordinary moment for us. The last four or five weeks have been a tumultuous time. | This... is an extraordinary moment for us. The last four or five weeks have been a tumultuous time. |
| “It’s been a real battle. I think there’s many positives to take from this but, firstly, I think I’ve got to say to the people of Bennelong that it has been regrettable we had to go through this experience, that we had to have a byelection. | “It’s been a real battle. I think there’s many positives to take from this but, firstly, I think I’ve got to say to the people of Bennelong that it has been regrettable we had to go through this experience, that we had to have a byelection. |
| “On the positive side, with all of the volunteers here and your incredible support, with the support of my colleagues, with the support of Mitch who I see there who caught my eye who, in 2010, we door-knocked 10,000 homes and that was really the basis of our winning Bennelong. | “On the positive side, with all of the volunteers here and your incredible support, with the support of my colleagues, with the support of Mitch who I see there who caught my eye who, in 2010, we door-knocked 10,000 homes and that was really the basis of our winning Bennelong. |
| Liberals have come from across the state, across the nation, we have had Nationals with us campaigning here just as Liberals campaigned for Barnaby in New England,” Turnbull says. | Liberals have come from across the state, across the nation, we have had Nationals with us campaigning here just as Liberals campaigned for Barnaby in New England,” Turnbull says. |
| “A great coalition. John Alexander had everything thrown at him. Everyl ie that Labor could dream up was thrown at him. (The crowd boos) | “A great coalition. John Alexander had everything thrown at him. Everyl ie that Labor could dream up was thrown at him. (The crowd boos) |
| “But, John, as always, was straigh tand true and honest and he stuck to our principles and our policies and he talked about the 1,000 jobs a day we are creating in Australia. (the crowd cheers) | “But, John, as always, was straigh tand true and honest and he stuck to our principles and our policies and he talked about the 1,000 jobs a day we are creating in Australia. (the crowd cheers) |
| “He talked about the $75 billion of infrastructure we’re building. He talked about the work he is doing for the people of Bennelong and he said to them: | “He talked about the $75 billion of infrastructure we’re building. He talked about the work he is doing for the people of Bennelong and he said to them: |
| “I have been your champion, now let me be your champion again. “ | “I have been your champion, now let me be your champion again. “ |
| “John, they have said, “Yes, John Alexander, you are Bennelong’s champion just as you have been Australia’s champion”. | “John, they have said, “Yes, John Alexander, you are Bennelong’s champion just as you have been Australia’s champion”. |
| Malcolm Turnbull arrives on stage first. John Alexander blows some kisses to the crowd. | Malcolm Turnbull arrives on stage first. John Alexander blows some kisses to the crowd. |
| And Turnbull is the first to speak: | And Turnbull is the first to speak: |
| “Thank you Bennelong, the people of Bennelong have put their faith in this man,” he says as he grabs Alexander’s hand and holds it up. | “Thank you Bennelong, the people of Bennelong have put their faith in this man,” he says as he grabs Alexander’s hand and holds it up. |
| Liberal supporters are chanting “we want John” as the pair approach the stage. | Liberal supporters are chanting “we want John” as the pair approach the stage. |
| The cheers are getting louder at Liberal HQ. | The cheers are getting louder at Liberal HQ. |
| I’d say John Alexander and Malcolm Turnbull are in the building | I’d say John Alexander and Malcolm Turnbull are in the building |
| Matt Thistlethwaite is speaking about a potential Batman byelection (in the event the high court rules David Feeney was ineligible because of dual citizenship) but refuses to say that he will be the candidate who contests the election. | Matt Thistlethwaite is speaking about a potential Batman byelection (in the event the high court rules David Feeney was ineligible because of dual citizenship) but refuses to say that he will be the candidate who contests the election. |
| He points out he is not from that state (Victoria) but says that Feeney will nominate and there will be a preselection process. What he doesn’t say, is that he will win that preselection. | He points out he is not from that state (Victoria) but says that Feeney will nominate and there will be a preselection process. What he doesn’t say, is that he will win that preselection. |