Melissa McIntosh will retain Lindsay for the Liberal Party despite a swing to Labor.
While Labor was not prepared to concede defeat last night given the closeness of the contest, the latest numbers suggest McIntosh will secure a third term as the local MP.
With almost 80 per cent of the vote counted, McIntosh leads Labor’s Hollie McLean 52.9 per cent to 47.1 per cent on a two party preferred basis.
McIntosh won’t be beaten from there.
It’s a swing of around 3.2 per cent to the ALP, which take away the seat’s safe Liberal status and make it extremely tight at the next election.
“I’ll continue to do my best as I promised on election night and then in my maiden speech in 2019,” McIntosh told supporters last night.
“I promised I would not let you down and I will not let you down.”
McIntosh said she would continue to stand up for Lindsay, an even tougher task now given Labor’s overall dominance at the election.
“The Albanese Labor Government rips so much funding out of western Sydney and it has hurt people here,” she said.
“It’s hurt people so much and I’ll continue to fight for the best for our community.”
McIntosh secured just over 40 per cent of first preference votes, followed by McLean with 31.1 per cent.
While the Greens experienced a lift in Lindsay with 9.4 per cent of first preference votes (a 1.4 per cent swing), of concern was the number of informal votes – some 10 per cent of the overall votes counted so far.
McLean said last night she would be keen to be the candidate again at the next election for Labor.
“I’ve loved every second, and hopefully the people of Lindsay would like to see me out there again,” she said.
Troy Dodds
Troy Dodds is the Weekender's Managing Editor and Breaking News Reporter. He has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working with some of Australia's leading media organisations. In 2023, he was named Editor of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.
Ally Hall
Ally Hall joined the Weekender in 2024, and focuses on entertainment and community stories. She's a graduate of the University of South Australia and has previously worked as a Video Journalist with Southern Cross Austereo and as a News Reader with Australian Radio Network.
Emily Chate
Emily Chate joined The Western Weekender in 2024, and covers local news - primarily courts and politics. A graduate of the University of Wollongong, Emily has contributed to The Daily Telegraph and worked as a freelance journalist.