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News.com.au
04-05-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
Winners and losers: The MPs who lost their seats in Labor's election bloodbath
Labor's surprise electoral landslide has left a trail of ruined political careers in its wake. It was a wild night that saw seats fly to the Labor Party that weren't even on the ALP's radar. In one case, in the seat of Petrie in Queensland, the party had to be convinced to buy the candidate corflutes because they believed she had no chance of winning her seat. Here are the 2025 election's biggest losers. DICKSON – Liberal MP Peter Dutton In the biggest upset of the night, former journalist Ali France won the seat of Dickson. It has long been a marginal seat. Indeed Mr Dutton tried to bail on it in 2009 and move to another seat, but got beaten by a woman, Karen Andrews. The Liberal Party repeatedly dismissed the Prime Minister's constant claim the seat was in play. It was all 'mind games', Liberal strategists said, scoffing at the possibility. To be fair, even the Labor Party had it at the bottom of a list of seats it hoped to grab in Queensland. It was a list that started with Brisbane, held by the Greens, and Bonner and Longman. Dickson was, as mentioned, at the bottom. Disability advocate Ali France's life changed in 2011 when she was pinned by a car in a shopping centre car park while with one of her sons. It resulted in one of her legs being amputated above the knee. Last year, she lost her eldest son, Henry, to leukaemia. And the father of her children, Clive France, lost his battle with cancer in 2023. 'I'm a single mother, I have a disability, I have a mortgage, I'm struggling with the cost of living,' she said. BANKS – Liberal MP David Coleman Liberal MP David Coleman was parachuted into the foreign affairs portfolio despite the fact the Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley, who had the right to choose her own portfolio, wanted the job. Peter Dutton overruled her and now both men have lost their jobs and their place in parliament. Banks fell to Labor with a 4.9 per cent swing. The seat was won by Zhi Soon, a lifelong local, father, respected education policy adviser and former Australian diplomat in Afghanistan. Zhi was named Young Australian of the Year in the ACT in 2008. BASS – Liberal MP Bridget Archer One of the last Liberal moderates standing, Bridget Archer was hit by a wild 10 per cent swing. The rebel Liberal MP crossed the floor to support elements of Labor's 2030 emissions reduction target, endorsed Labor housing policies and voted with the government in a censure motion against the former prime minister Scott Morrison over his multiple ministries. 'I do not accept any of the explanations put forward by the former prime minister for his actions, and I'm deeply disappointed by the lack of genuine apology or, more importantly, understanding of the impact of these decisions,' the Tasmanian Liberal said during a debate over the censure motion. BONNER – Liberal MP Ross Vasta It was a similar story in the seat of Bonner in Queensland where Ross Vasta copped a whopping 10 per cent swing. First elected in 2004, he lost his seat in the 2007 Ruddslide before returning to fight another day. DEAKIN – Liberal MP Michael Sukkar Liberal MP Michael Sukkar was the architect of the Coalition's housing portfolio to connect with voters in the outer suburbs. Instead, they booted him out in a savage swing. He would have expected a promotion if he had survived, but now he's out of parliament. PETRIE – Liberal MP Luke Howarth In the Queensland seat of Petrie, the ALP believed it had no chance against the Liberals' Luke Howarth. So much so that the party had to be convinced to pay for corflutes, the posters that appear on fences and poles all over the electorate. The candidate, former army officer cadet Emma Comer, was parachuted in six weeks before the election. She worked in the office of Anthony Albanese. 'As a renter living in Kippa-Ring, Emma knows that the cost of living is putting pressure on everyone's budget. She will always stand up for our community to ensure we have a government that looks out for us,'' the ALP's promotional material said. 'Labor's number one priority has been delivering cost of living relief with bigger tax cuts for every taxpayer, 20% off student debt, energy bill relief, cheaper childcare, strengthening Medicare, and cheaper medicines.' BRADDON – Liberal MP Gavin Pearce It was a Liberal Party wipeout in Tasmania with a stunning 15 per cent swing in the electorate of Braddon. Labor Senator Anne Urquhart took on a lesser-known Liberal candidate Mal Hingston and won. BRISBANE AND GRIFFITH The Labor Party believed it had a good chance to win one Greens seat back: the seat of Brisbane, held by Stephen Bates. Max Chandler-Mather, the Greens' housing spokesman, was thought to have a stronger chance of holding his seat. But instead they both fell like dominoes. Other victims of election night were Liberal Jeremy Neal in Leichhardt, Liberal James Stevens in Sturt, Liberal Vince Connelly in Moore and Liberal Jenny Ware in Hughes.
Khaleej Times
10-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
Dubai Fashion Week: Australian fashion designer Paolo Sebastian on presenting his debut collection
Paolo Sebastian, the first Australian brand to grace the prestigious stage of Dubai Fashion Week (DFW), marked its highly anticipated debut with an invite-only showcase. The Autumn/Winter collection highlighted the designer's signature blend of romance and contemporary elegance. Each piece demonstrated detailed craftsmanship and transported the audience to a fantastical world — some elements dark, others sweet and romantic. If you're wondering about his journey, let us take you through it... Creative Director and Founder of the label, Paul Vasileff, learned to sew at the age of three. Initially taught by his grandmother, he completed his first evening dress at age 11 — Vasileff was always fascinated by the inner workings and underpinnings of garments. With dreams of one day becoming a couture designer, he developed his skills by undertaking private lessons in pattern making and sewing from the age of 13. Following his debut at 17, which garnered rave reviews and client orders, Paul polished his craft under a traditional Italian tailor before earning a scholarship to Milan's prestigious Istituto Europeo di Design and graduating with honours. Returning to Australia, he expanded his label 'Paolo Sebastian', training his team in the fine art of sewing. His dedication earned him the title of Young Australian of the Year in 2017 and later, Designer of the Year at the Prix de Marie Claire Awards. He continues to elevate his brand with international clients, annual Paris showings, and uncompromising craftsmanship. On the second day of DFW, Paul put out a show that was filled with grace and stunning figure-enhancing silhouettes. These cuts are what every woman dreams of being in, cinching at the right places, with a drape that flows perfectly on the garment. Dubai seemed like the perfect place for this Australian brand to debut, given how in love with hemming and silhouette we are here. Fit for weddings, parties, and the glitterati of Dubai, the collection displayed shades of white, eggshell, lilac, baby blue, black, grey, with tasteful embellishments of rhinestones and appliqué work, ostrich feather and tulle. The gowns, with their form-fitting silhouette and meticulous beadwork mirrored the night sky. Some gowns had a semi-sheer fabric along the arms and chest that added a touch of mystique, making the model appear as though she were floating on a cloud of silver light. In Paul's world, this is how he envisions any bride — a true fairy. Excerpts from the interview: Who is the Paolo Sebastian woman? I think the Paolo Sebastian woman is someone who is confident, strong, and loves to dream. I think that's why the clientele here is such a perfect fit. We have such a strong following in the UAE, and although we have only been showing here for a few years, we feel we really understand our clients. In return, they also seem to understand the essence of our brand. Did you have a theme for your collection, what was the concept? This season, the collection is inspired by the image of a maiden descending from the heavens to illuminate the darkness of Earth. Drawing from vintage Hollywood, we meticulously curated the colour palettes and textures. My goal was to transport the audience into a realm where they are free to dream. What are your long-term aspirations for Paolo Sebastian in the Middle East, and what strategies do you have to enhance your brand's presence in this market? I would love to continue our presence here and grow our reach. My dream is to one day have a store or a permanent base here in the region so that our clients can experience the brand more frequently. Which is your favourite look from the collection and why? It's hard to pick my favourite from the collection. But if I had to, I think I would have to say the tassel dress, mainly because of its movement on the runway. The process of creating it was also a lot of fun and very rewarding for the team. We got to experiment with new techniques and craftsmanship and push our pattern making and problem-solving skills. All Paolo Sebastian designs are handmade in Adelaide, South Australia. Each piece is meticulously handcrafted from the finest fabrics, so the design, construction and fitting process take a minimum of four months to make.
