World News – AU – ‘Four more years’: ACT Labor begins historic sixth term in government as green vote increases

Labor retained its power in ACT Follow our live blog for the latest election news and results

Chief Minister Andrew Barr has won the ACT election after a « humiliating » year in which his government led Canberra through bushfires and a global pandemic

CBA election analyst Antony Green says Labor ACT will be sacked for a sixth term with backing from the Greens

But he says the surprise of the evening favors the Greens, as he predicts the party could win up to six of the 25 chamber seats

With just under 80% of the vote counted at the end of Saturday, Labor took 384% of the vote, while the Liberals in Canberra won 331% of the vote

Speaking at the Liberal Party event in Canberra, Leader Alistair Coe conceded the election and said the future of his leadership was « to be determined »

« I can confirm that I called Andrew Barr, I congratulated him on the campaign he waged, because obviously there is a good chance that we have seen the return of a Labor government- Greens

Canberra Liberals saw an unexpected 36% swing against them, while Labor vote share remains largely unchanged from 2016

Green said the only way the Canberra Liberals could win enough seats to claim the government was if the results of the paper vote were significantly different from those of the majority of Canberrans who voted electronically

Entering the Belconnen Labor Club as his supporters chanted ‘four more years’, returning Chief Minister Andrew Barr stepped onto the podium hand-in-hand with husband Anthony Toms

« It is a humiliating experience leading a political party and leading a government, » said M Barr

« And especially in a year like this, where we had a series of extraordinary challenges thrown at us as a city – but we overcame it because we worked together »

M Barr also offered his congratulations to M Coe, who he said had led a dignified campaign

« I want to thank him for the campaign they led, it was a campaign based on their values, and they did not hesitate to put them forward, » he said

« They lost a few members tonight, and we know what it looks like, and it’s difficult. We know a democracy only works if you have strong opposition

M Barr said he and Deputy Leader Yvette Berry will sit down with the Greens on Monday to discuss a parliamentary deal

Speaking at a loud ACT Greens event, party leader Shane Rattenbury said the result was a vote of confidence for his party

« 2020 has been a year where there hasn’t been a lot of good news, but tonight contradicts that trend, » he said

« Canberra voted for a positive agenda for this city, for an agenda that is about being bold, looking to the future and tackling the big issues that lie ahead »

With most of the votes counted, the ACT Greens currently have a 36% look to them

Antony Green predicted the party would win a seat in Yerrabi, while retaining its seat in Murrumbidgee, which became a draw with the retirement of MP Caroline Le Couteur

He said the party also had a chance to secure a seat in the electorates of Ginninderra and Brindabella, alongside a second seat in Kurrajong

M Rattenbury congratulated M Coe for his campaign and said the hard-fought election left him nervous

He said that M Barr also called him to congratulate the party on their excellent result

In the electorate of Brindabella, the southernmost part of Canberra, where 80% of the vote was counted, the Canberra Liberals faced a devastating result

The party saw a four percent swing against it, while the Labor party enjoyed a 5 percent swing

Brindabella has long been seen as a stronghold of Canberra’s liberals and the party needed to win three seats in the five-member electorate to help them win the government

Loss of third seat means Liberal MP Andrew Wall will not return to Assembly

The final siege remains a close fight between Taimus Werner-Gibbings of Labor and Johnathan Davis of the Greens

During his victory speech, Mr. Barr said the result was a vote for the extension of the streetcar south of Canberra

« Four years ago at this exact spot I stood here and said Canberrans voted for light rail, » said M Barr

« Well, folks, they did it again… and I think the resurgence of the Labor Party in the south tonight is proof of that »

Brindabella Liberal MP Mark Parton, who retains his seat, told ABC the outcome was disappointing

« I would be lying to you if I said we are happy with our current situation, » M said. Parton

Among Canberra’s Liberals, Candice Burch in Kurrajong is hanging on, while Andrew Wall in Brindabella and James Milligan in Yerrabi are set to lose their seats

Labor expects to lose its MP Deepak Raj-Gupta, who served only briefly after replacing Meegan Fitzharris when she resigned last year

Labor MP Bec Cody left party office early when initial results showed she would not be re-elected to Murrumbidgee, as preferences instead fell on Labor candidate Marisa Paterson, for whom the ABC called the seat

With the retirements of Liberal MP Vicki Dunne and Green MP Caroline Le Couteur, the 10th ACT assembly looks likely to be full of new faces

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AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time, which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time)

Andrew Barr, Alistair Coe, Australian Greens, Australian Labor Party (Australian Capital Territory branch)