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Crikey
Crikey
National
Dominic Giannini

UAP wins final Victorian Senate seat

The United Australia Party has won the final Victorian Senate seat, effectively solidifying the make-up of the new-look upper house. 

Ralph Babet took the sixth spot from Liberal Greg Mirabella, who was only sworn into the Senate in February after filling a casual vacancy left by former president Scott Ryan.

Mr Babet, also known as Deej Babet, worked as a Melbourne real estate agent before taking a tilt at the upper house.

UAP founder Clive Palmer reportedly spent over $100 million on the national election campaign, with the Victorian Senate seat his sole success.

The Liberals’ Sarah Henderson, the Nationals’ Bridget McKenzie, Labor’s Linda White and Jana Stewart, and the Greens’ Lidia Thorpe were also elected in Victoria.

Both Labor candidates will replace outgoing members.

The Australian Electoral Commission has also declared the NSW senators, with the Greens taking a seat from Labor. 

The Liberals’ Marise Payne and Jim Molan, and Labor’s Deb O’Neill and Jenny McAllister were all re-elected, while the Nationals’ Ross Cadell was elected on a joint coalition ticket, and the Greens’ David Shoebridge was promoted from NSW parliament. 

The expected tally of the Senate’s 76 seats includes 32 for the coalition, 26 for Labor, 12 for the Greens, two for both One Nation and the Jacqui Lambie Network, and one for the United Australia Party and independent David Pocock.

Only Western Australia is left to be officially declared. 

The coalition suffered a 3.6 per cent swing against it in Victoria while Labor and the United Australia Party recorded small increases in their votes.

The Greens recorded a 3.2 per cent swing to the party.

In NSW, there was a 1.8 per cent swing against the coalition, a 0.6 per cent swing to Labor and a 2.7 per cent swing to the Greens.

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