Truss applauds magnificent Nationals’ performance in Victoria
28th November, 2010
The Nationals’ resurgence around Australia continued overnight with a stunning election result in Victoria, Federal Leader Warren Truss said today.Mr Truss congratulated the party’s superb leader, Peter Ryan and his team, and Liberal Leader Ted Bailleau, for a positive and visionary campaign that has taken Coalition to the edge of victory and a new dawn for the state.
The Nationals’ vote grew to 6.6 percent of the total across the state, up almost 25 percent on the last election result. The party now holds 10 Lower House seats – its best result since 1985.
"One result of August’s federal election had a particularly telling effect in Victoria yesterday – Australians know for sure now that a vote for an Independent is a vote for Labor," Mr Truss said.
"Regional voters felt cheated by the federal election outcome and they were not going to let it happen again.
"Victorians kept this in mind and gave the regional Independents a real whacking in Victoria. It is crystal clear to regional people that their best interests will not be served by regional independents masquerading as conservatives and then voting with Labor when they eventually have to get off the fence.
"The last independent in Victoria, in the seat of Gippsland East, has been soundly defeated by The Nationals’ Tim Bull who received a remarkable 27 percent swing to him.
"Greens’ hubris was rewarded with no seats at all. The principled decision of the Coalition to put this party of extremists last was also applauded by voters."
The Nationals won three House of Representatives seats at the federal election and an extra Senate place, following on from excellent state level performances in Western Australia, and in Queensland under the LNP banner.
“The party’s commitment to regional Australia has been recognised by voters, who trust a party whose members live in, work in and care about the regions,” Mr Truss said.
