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Seats with big Jewish populations play key role in ousting the Coalition

Michael Visontay
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Published: 22 May 2022

Last updated: 4 March 2024

Success of ‘teal independents’, including the seat of Treasurer Frydenberg, highlights broad yearning for a stronger climate policy from whoever is leading the country

AS AUSTRALIA WAKES up to a new Labor-led government, the seats with substantial Jewish populations have played an influential role in ousting the Coalition from power - and highlighted the broad yearning for a more ambitious climate policy from whoever is leading the country.

In Wentworth (Sydney) and Goldstein (Melbourne), the “teal independents” defeated the sitting Liberal members decisively. Allegra Spender’s victory over Dave Sharma in Wentworth was declared early in the evening, such was the gulf between them, while Zoe Daniel scored an equally emphatic victory over Tim Wilson in Goldstein.

The fact that both independents had been the target of sustained attacks, accusing them of BDS sympathies and questioning their support for Israel, seems to have had no impact on the outcome.

The importance of climate as a vote driver was highlighted in Melbourne’s largest “Jewish seat”, Macnamara, where the sitting Labor member Josh Burns, had been expected to win comfortably. The Liberal Party only nominated a candidate very late in the campaign after some internal disagreements.

But in a surprising development, when counting closed on election night the Greens candidate Stephanie Hodgins-May, who stood unsuccessfully in 2019, had gained virtually the same number of primary votes as Burns, with both polling around 32% of the votes. The Liberal candidate Colleen Harkin gained 27% of the vote.

Scott Morrison concedes defeat (Dean Lewins/AAP)
Scott Morrison concedes defeat (Dean Lewins/AAP)

A Labor strategist told The Jewish Independent that despite the Greens’ strong showing, Burns was confident of retaining the seat as the Liberals’ preferences would be directed to the ALP over the Greens.

The Liberal candidate might yet dislodge her Greens rival from one of the top two spots after the counting of absentee and postal votes, he added. These ballot papers would include Jewish constituents who don’t vote on Shabbat, and who would tend to vote for the major parties ahead of the Greens.

But this would not affect Burns’ prospects of success, as it would just mean that Burns receives preferences from the Greens instead of the Liberals.  

The Melbourne seat of Kooyong does not have a large Jewish population but is of huge interest to Jewish voters because it is held by Josh Frydenberg. As of this morning, Frydenberg’s teal independent rival Monique Ryan looked set to win and force the federal treasurer, who had looked likely to succeed Scott Morrison as Liberal leader, to instead look for a new job outside of parliament.

Ryan was ahead of Frydenberg on the primary vote and will be preferenced by the Labor and Greens candidates. Although all pollsters have given the seat to Ryan, Frydenberg has yet to concede defeat, while acknowledging he looks unlikely to win.

Other sitting Jewish members have fared better than Frydenberg. In Sydney, Julian Leeser comfortably retained the seat of Berowra for the Liberals, and Mike Freelander did the same with Macarthur for the ALP.

READ PLUS61J INTERVIEWS WITH TEAL INDEPENDENTS
Allegra Spender: ‘I’ve had it’ with the Morrison government
‘It’s been safe Liberal for so long. I’m the daughter of a footballer. I’m competitive’

About the author

Michael Visontay

Michael Visontay is the Commissioning Editor of TJI. He has worked as a journalist and editor for more than 30 years. Michael is the author of several books, including Who Gave You Permission?, co-authored with child sexual abuse advocate Manny Waks, and Welcome to Wanderland: Western Sydney Wanderers and the Pride of the West.

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