Independent MP Monique Ryan appears poised to retain her seat in Kooyong, fending off a challenge from Liberal candidate Amelia Hamer. As counting progresses in several closely contested electorates, current projections indicate Ryan will narrowly prevail in this previously solid Liberal stronghold.
As of 12:30 pm AEST, Ryan is leading with 50.4% of the two-candidate preferred vote versus Hamer’s 49.6%, translating to a margin of over 800 votes. Despite a strong showing for Hamer in postal votes, Ryan’s performance in absentee and declaration pre-polls is expected to secure her position, having previously unseated then-Treasurer Josh Frydenberg in 2022.
Meanwhile, the Liberal Party finds solace in the northern Sydney seat of Bradfield, where Gisele Kapterian is projected to win against independent candidate Nicolette Boele. Initially thought to be in a strong position, Boele is now trailing, with Kapterian maintaining a narrow lead of 50.1% to 49.9% based on the current count, bolstered by her success with postal votes.
In the outer Canberra electorate of Bean, Labor’s David Smith is anticipated to have defeated independent Jessie Price in a surprisingly tight contest, while Labor also claims a victory in the newly created seat of Bullwinkel in Perth, pushing their House of Representatives tally to a record high of 93 seats.
Some contests remain too close to call, including Ryan’s challenge in Brisbane, where Elizabeth Watson-Brown leads for the Greens. Other undecided races involve Liberal candidates in the Victorian seats of Flinders and Monash, as well as Longman in Queensland, where all three Liberal candidates currently hold narrow leads.
Overall, the electoral landscape reflects a blend of anticipated victories and unexpected tight races as votes continue to be counted in these significant contests across Australia.