STEVE Gibbons has ensured the federal seat of Bendigo will be in Labor Party hands for at least another two terms after a comprehensive victory in last Saturday’s election. Mr Gibbons turned Victoria’s most marginal seat into a safe Labor seat with a 5.37 per cent swing, on the back of the federal 5.85 per cent national swing. With postal voting yet to be counted, Mr Gibbons received more than 47 per cent of the first-preference votes, against 38 per cent for Liberal Party candidate Peter Kennedy. Once preferences were distributed, Mr Gibbons holds the seat by about 6.3 per cent. He thanked voters for returning him to Canberra for the fourth time. “I appreciate the confidence that the people of the Bendigo electorate have shown in me and I am very proud to have the opportunity of representing them again in federal parliament,” he said. “I have always fought hard on behalf of my constituents and I now hope to improve the lives of central Victorians even further as a member of the new Kevin Rudd Labor government.” Mr Gibbons acknowledged the strong campaign waged in Bendigo by Peter Kennedy. “Election campaigns in Bendigo are always close affairs,” he said. “Mr Kennedy worked hard for his party and I wish him all the best for the future.” Mr Kennedy thanked central Victorians for their support. “We conducted a strong local campaign across the region and supported projects like improvements to the Calder Highway, an Australian Technical College for Maryborough and the Chinese precinct development in Bendigo,” he said. “The swing to Labor of about five per cent, while disappointing, was below the state and national average which reflects the strengths of our local campaign.” Mr Kennedy congratulated Mr Gibbons and thanked his Liberal Party volunteers. “I look forward to continuing an association with these great people and the many positive and passionate people in our great communities across central Victoria,” he said.
