New South Wales Labor leader Jodi McKay says she's devastated as leader, after a swing against the party in the Upper Hunter by-election. The former Member for Newcastle says she will remain as party leader and says there is no challenge to her position. Labor's Jeff Drayton conceded t . by bdoyle | NBN News-News, Sport & Weather
Upper Hunter byelection: Labor concedes to National party in crucial NSW vote Australian Associated Press
Labor has conceded to the Nationals in the NSW Upper Hunter byelection.
“Earlier this morning, I phoned David Layzell to congratulate him on his election as the next member for Upper Hunter,” ALP candidate Jeff Drayton said in statement.
“Obviously, David and I don’t agree on many things but we both have the best interests of the Upper Hunter at heart. I wish David and his family all the best as he starts this new role.”
The Nationals were on track to hold the seat for the NSW coalition, defying expectations of a swing against the government in the crucial byelection.
Labor has conceded to the Nationals in the NSW Upper Hunter by-election.
ALP candidate Jeff Drayton says he phoned his Nationals rival David Layzell on Sunday morning to congratulate him on his election as the next member for Upper Hunter.
Mr Layzell had claimed around 30 per cent of the first preferences from nearly 40,000 votes counted at midday on Sunday.
Mr Drayton was next on 22 per cent, with the One Nation and Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party candidates following on 12 per cent.
Labor candidate for Upper Hunter Jeff Drayton and NSW Opposition Leader Jodi McKay speak to the media on polling day in Muswellbrook on Saturday, 22 May.
Labor ‘Shell-Shocked’ By By-Blection Loss
Labor is “shell-shocked” at the “terrible” result of a NSW by-election that saw its primary vote slide backwards and the center-right Liberal-National government retain the marginal seat, NSW opposition leader Jodi McKay says.
McKay told reporters on Sunday she was “devastated” by the Upper Hunter result. The Upper Hunter is a coal mining region.
“We did not think that the result would be the way it is,” she said. “We didn’t expect that our vote would go to independents, we didn’t expect our vote to be torn away as it was.”
Labor conceded defeat on Sunday, with both McKay and ALP candidate Jeff Drayton congratulating their Nationals counterparts.
Save
Share
Federal Labor MPs have warned the party risks handing Scott Morrison the next election unless it urgently reconnects with blue-collar voters, conceding a weekend byelection in NSW showed the party was out of touch with its base.
State Labor leader Jodi McKay was digging in on Sunday after a 7 per cent drop in the partyâs primary vote in Saturdayâs Upper Hunter byelection, with the Nationals holding the seat and firming up Gladys Berejiklianâs grip on power. Laborâs primary vote was just 21.7 per cent.
NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay says it would be a âcop outâ to blame her leadership for her partyâs loss in the Upper Hunter.Â