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News.com.au
13-05-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
Federal election 2025: Elizabeth Watson-Brown wins Ryan for Greens
Greens MP Elizabeth Watson-Brown has officially retained the inner Brisbane seat of Ryan, giving her embattled radical-left party a lonely victory following its lower house wipe-out in the May 3 federal election. The Greens entered the election with four seats in the lower house of parliament, but will return with just one following Ms Watson-Brown's close win over Coalition rival Maggie Forrest. The Sky News Decision Desk called the seat for Ms Watson-Brown on Monday. She secured about 53 per cent of the votes after preferences with a 0.5 per cent swing in her favour. Ms Watson-Brown on Tuesday said the Greens were ready 'push Labor' for 'stronger action on the climate, housing and cost-of-living crises'. 'I want to thank the people of Ryan for again putting their trust in me to be their strong, independent voice in parliament and for helping to keep (former Opposition Leader Peter) Dutton out,' she said on her victory. 'This term we have one of the most progressive Senates we've ever had, an opportunity for real progressive reform. There is no excuse now for Labor to resist real reform to help people and nature. 'The Greens are ready to push Labor to take stronger action on the climate, housing and cost-of-living crises.' Ryan, which takes in Brisbane's leafy inner and outer western suburbs, was long considered a safe blue-ribbon Liberal electorate. Ms Watson-Brown snatched it from the Liberals in 2022. The Greens copped a shellacking on May 3, with long-serving Greens leader Adam Bandt booted from his seat of Melbourne along with Brisbane MPs Max Chandler-Mather and Stephen Bates. The Greens now consist of 11 Senators in the Upper House and Ms Watson-Brown in the Lower House. Anthony Albanese secured a crushing victory for Labor, with the party winning at least 93 seats as of Monday, compared to 43 for the Coalition. There are now just three seats in doubt: Calwell and Flinders in Victoria, and Longman in Queensland. In Calwell, Labor candidate Basem Abdo is ahead of Coalition rival Usman Ghani. In Flinders, Liberal MP Zoe McKenzie is ahead of independent challenger Ben Smith. Ms McKenzie leads with 4572 votes with 90.0 per cent of the vote counted. In Longman, LNP member Terry Young is leading Labor challenger Rhiannyn Douglas. Mr Young leads with just 196 votes with 85.4 per cent of the vote counted. On Monday, the Decision Desk called the seat of Bradfield, in Sydney, for the Liberals. Labor has clung onto Bean in the ACT and Bullwinkel in Western Australia. Former teal independent member for Goldstein Zoe Daniel, meanwhile, has not yet conceded her seat to victorious Liberal Tim Wilson. In a post to X from May 9, Ms Daniel said she would not concede until postals and pre-poll votes were counted. 'The AEC has not yet declared the seat,' she said. 'Please respect the process and voters until a definitive position is clear.'
SBS Australia
12-05-2025
- Politics
- SBS Australia
Greens MP Elizabeth Watson-Brown predicted to retain Brisbane seat
The Greens are predicted to retain one seat in the House of Representatives, with analysts telling SBS News Elizabeth Watson-Brown will hold her seat in Ryan. The Brisbane electorate had been a battle between Watson-Brown and Liberal National Maggie Forrest, but is predicted to go to the Greens, according to polling group Redbridge. Watson-Brown was first elected to parliament in 2022. She is a long-term resident of Brisbane's inner west suburb of St Lucia and ran an architectural practice for 21 years before entering politics. This is a developing story and this article will be updated.
