In the State Election wash-up, Labor has secured at least two Upper House seats and the Liberals at least one in the South East Metropolitan Region.
With 62 per cent of votes counted, a battle looms between the Liberal Party, Liberal Democrats, the Greens, Legalise Cannabis and other micro parties for the region’s fourth and fifth seat.
Labor won nearly 2.4 quotas, meaning Lee Tarlamis was re-elected as Labor’s lead candidate along with newcomer Michael Galea.
However, Labor’s number-3 candidate Dr Tien Kieu’s path to re-election was less certain.
On the Liberal side, with 1.6 quotas, lead candidate Ann-Marie Hermans has been elected.
According to ABC analyst Antony Green, Rachel Payne from Legalise Cannabis Victoria will probably grab the fourth seat.
He predicts that Liberal candidate Manju Hanumantharayappa will narrowly prevail over Liberal Democrats MP David Limbrick for the final seat.
If Dr Kieu and Mr Limbrick fail to be re-elected, none of the class of 2018 would be returned in the South Eastern Metro Region.
Labor’s Gavin Jennings quit during the last term, Adem Somyurek departed the ALP to run as a Labour DLP candidate in Northern Metro Region, and Liberal MP Gordon Rich-Phillips retired prior to the 2022 election.
In 2020, Mr Tarlamis was elected to replace the departed Mr Jennings.
Overall, no party will have majority control of the Legislative Council.
Mr Green predicts a mix of 15 Labor MPs, 15 from the Coalition, three Greens, three from Legalise Cannabis, along with single representation from Animal Justice, Shooters Fishers and Farmers, Labour DLP and One Nation.
