Independent Deb Leonard makes Monash marginal

AFTER securing almost 11 per cent of the primary vote in Saturday’s Federal election, Phillip Island independent Deb Leonard has penciled herself in for another tilt in 2025.

Ms Leonard was speaking after the latest counting confirmed that the incumbent, Russell Broadbent, had won the seat but with an 8.45 per cent swing against him.

Ms Leonard said that the Monash Electorate is now in the “highly marginal” category “following a dramatic swing of 4.21% away from Mr Broadbent” on a two-party preferred basis, noting that the sitting member’s primary vote had “collapsed by a massive 8.45%”.

She said that most of Mr Broadbent’s lost votes had gone her way, but but Ms Leonard also took votes from Labor as well.

In fact, both of the two major party candidates, Russell Broadbent (down 8.45%) and Jessica O’Donnell (down 3.92%) lost ground with The Green’s young local candidate Mat Morgan boosting that party’s vote to 9.49%, up from 7.01% at the 2019 poll and former South Gippsland councillor Meg Edwards securing 3.79% of the vote at her first try.

This was against the backdrop of a national swing to Labor of 4.02%.

But Ms Leonard said the main win for people of Monash was that the seat was now officially marginal, with Mr Broadbent holding his seat by a mere  2.65%.

Ms Leonard said she was overwhelmed by the level of support she received in her first shot at public office, recording almost 11% of the primary vote.

“When I commenced this campaign in February this year, I started from scratch,” Ms Leonard said.

“With the help of a couple of hundred volunteers, including many family and friends, and some awesome fundraising at the local level, together we have achieved an incredible result in such a short space of time.

“I feel the issues of urgent action on climate change, integrity in government, gender equality, affordable housing and representing community issues resonated well across the electorate.

“The major parties will no longer be able to take the Monash electorate for granted, as there is now a significant body of people who have the power to hold them to account.

“As well as calling for action on the issues I campaigned on, I call on the incoming Albanese Government to make sure the Monash electorate finally gets its fair share of funding for roads, health services and schools.

“This campaign has been an incredible and humbling experience.

“I have met and got to know so many people from all sections of the communities across the electorate, and will treasure those relationships forever.

“Over 8500 people across the electorate voted differently this election – they voted for someone with no party, no political brand, just a willingness to listen and represent our community values.

“I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to each and every voter for standing up to the big parties to demand better.”

Ms Leonard says this is unlikely to be the end of her time in politics.

“If our community can achieve this much in less than four months, imagine what we can achieve in another three years!”