By Marcus Uhe
Two weeks of unknowns and uncertainty in the Bass electorate has finally eased with Jordan Crugnale winning a second term in Parliament.
Labor was declared to have won the seat on Friday 9 December by a miserly 202 votes after preferences were distributed, fighting off the Coalition candidates of Aaron Brown (Liberals) and Brett Tessari (Nationals).
Ms Crugnale defied expectations to retain her seat, with betting agency Sportsbet heavily favouring Mr Brown at the beginning of November, placing the incumbent at 4-1 odds.
The former Bass Coast Shire Councillor received 32.55 per cent of first preference votes, placing her slightly ahead of Mr Brown on 30.15, meaning she needed to hold Mr Brown at arms-length for the duration for the count.
65 per cent of Greens candidate Callum Bugbird’s second preference votes went to Ms Crugnale, the second-to-last candidate to be cast-aside, opening a lead of around 3500 and leaving just Mr Tessari’s second preferences standing between her and a second term.
In what was surprising turn of events, nearly one third (2700 of 8661) of Mr Tessari’s second preferences favoured Ms Crugnale, and not the Liberal Party, leaving the crucial 202 vote gap.
An emotional Ms Crugnale took to Facebook to thank her supporters on Friday night.
“To be re-elected for another term is beyond amazing, humbling and am streaming with tears of gratitude,” the re-elected Bass MP said.
“It was always going to be close with or without the redistribution and I have never once taken anything for granted.
“It’s been a privilege and honour to work for and with our community and together we have achieved so much.
“I will apply that same determination, grit and fight, be that constant (loud) voice at our government table and build on the momentum we have already started and keep at it – we need and deserve a whole heap more.
“To all our volunteers, colleagues, friends, supporters and my office team extraordinaire who have held me and my family these last four years – more tears of gratitude flow here too.”
Liberal candidate Aaron Brown was gracious in defeat, congratulating Ms Crugnale on Facebook on Sunday afternoon and wishing her well for her second term representing Bass.
“I enjoyed the opportunity I had to meet so many wonderful people in Bass over the last 9 months of my campaign,” Mr Brown said.
“It was a privilege to be a candidate in the election and to have been selected to represent the Liberal Party.
“I would like to sincerely thank my family and each and every volunteer who supported my campaign. Thank you to every person who voted for me; I appreciate your confidence in me and it is not something I take for granted.
“I wish all a Happy Christmas as well as a happy and safe 2023.”
The retention of Bass, one of the final seats to be declared in the 2022 election, pushes Labor’s count to 56 seats, one more than the previous parliament which had 55.
