Danby wins Ports with increased majority

Unlike some Labor colleagues now licking their election wounds, Melbourne Ports MP Michael Danby has comfortably won his seat with an increased majority.

Labor received a 1.4 percent swing in Danby’s favour, retaining the inner Melbourne seat with 58 percent of the vote on a two-candidate preferred basis. His nearest rival, out Liberal candidate Kevin Ekendahl (41.5 percent), weathered a 1.4 percent loss of support for the Liberals.

In a statement after the election, Danby acknowledged the large swing to Greens candidate Sue Plowright whose primary vote increased by almost 6 percent.

“Sue Plowright received 21.1 percent of the primary votes that mainly came back to us,” Danby said.

“I … acknowledge the protest vote that went to the Greens.

“I express my gratitude to constituents for voting me in for the fifth time. They can expect me to remain a strong and sometimes maverick voice on issues that matter to them.”

Danby — who now has an 8.6 percent hold on the seat — has been a past supporter of the gay and lesbian community. Before the election he said his view on same-sex marriage was supportive.

“I would regard myself as having shifted … from a realisation that a civil union was perhaps not adequate in addressing people’s concerns of discriminations and desire for equality,” he told Southern Star Observer last month.

“After the election, I’ll be saying that same-sex couples or opposite-sex couples should be treated equally in Australian law.”

In other electorates in Melbourne, the safe Labor seat of Batman (which takes in Northcote and Thornbury) saw a swing against sitting Labor MP Martin Ferguson who lost 4 percent of the primary vote but retained the seat. The Greens increased their primary vote by more than 6 percent.

Although only securing around 2 percent of the primary vote, the Australian Sex Party outpolled Family First in the seats of Melbourne Ports and Melbourne.