Labor concedes defeat as LNP candidate projected to win Fadden by-election
Labor has conceded defeat in the Fadden by-election, which was triggered by the resignation of frontbencher Stuart Robert on the Gold Coast.
The Coalition has easily retained the federal seat, with Cameron Caldwell projected to safely win.
Labor candidate Letitia Del Fabbro called Caldwell to conceded shortly before 8pm, as the LNP is expected to gain more votes this by-election.
The Liberals spent a reported $600,000 on the by-election campaign to retain the Gold Coast seat, following the Coalition’s historic loss in the Aston by-election earlier this year.
Fadden has never been won by Labor and despite the government’s unprecedented Aston win, even Prime Minister Anthony Albanese conceded earlier this week a repeat performance would be unlikely.
“Traditionally, there are swings away from a government of around about four to five per cent in a by-election,” he said on Friday.
“Fadden, and that northern part of the Gold Coast have only ever returned LNP members… but our candidate is a great candidate; she’s out there – I was very happy to launch her campaign and the Labor Party are running so that people have that choice.
“But I don’t expect anything like the Aston by-election result.
“That was an extraordinary result, the first time in 100 years that the government have won a seat off the Opposition.”
The Liberals put up City of Gold Coast councillor Caldwell as its candidate, while Labor is once again ran Del Fabbro after she increased the party’s vote by 3.6 per cent in the seat at the last federal election.
Del Fabbro told the party faithful she was happy with the campaign they ran, despite today’s loss.
“We knew this was always going to be an uphill battle, so I guess it has sent an important message to the LNP to not take the Gold Coast for granted,” she said.
“Together we can build on this experience, build Labor on the Gold Coast.”
