There has been a mixed response from the ACT’s social welfare and industry groups about how a new federal government will affect the capital.
ACT Council for Social Service (ACTCOSS) director Susan Helyar says plans to slash the public service budget will ultimately hurt Canberra families.
“We are concerned about a number of things with the incoming government, one of them is the significant job cuts,” she said.
Ms Helyar says ACTCOSS will need to be a focus on assistance and advice for affected workers and their families.
“The Prime Minister-elect said that the Federal Government would have an agenda where nobody would be left behind,” she said.
“I think they’ll need to work closely with the social justice movement around Australia to make sure that they can deliver on that promise.”
The ACT Chamber of Commerce is more accepting of the change of government, particularly the Liberal’s plans for small business.
But Chamber of Commerce chief executive Andrew Blyth says the Chamber has reservations about what thousands of job cuts will mean for the Territory.
Mr Blyth says the plans for job cuts must be detailed soon.
“Whether it’s going to be done quickly or if it will be spread over a two to three year period,” he said.
Both groups say they will also be working with the ACT Government to see what help can be sort locally.
Mr Blyth says the Federal Government remains the biggest customer in the capital.
“Importantly what I’d like to be talking to the Government about is the potential for a business assistance package to potentially soften this blow,” he said.
“That’ll actually involve discussion with the Federal Government, the ACT Government and the Chamber.”
Second Senate seat
The race is still on for the ACT’s second Senate seat with a tight contest between the Liberal’s Zed Seselja and Greens candidate Simon Sheikh.
With just over 60 per cent of the vote counted, Mr Seselja is ahead on first preferences but not by enough to win the seat outright.
“I’m very hopeful with the pre-poll numbers that they will strengthen the Liberal Party vote,” Mr Seselja said.
“But it’s a little to early because there is so much counting to go.”
Mr Seselja says he has no regrets about running a comparatively low-key campaign.
“Our task was to go out there and sell our message. It wasn’t necessarily to engage in minor fights with minor parties and I think that was the right approach,” he said.
The Greens are expected to benefit from preferences from most of the other minor parties when counting continues.
“What we haven’t seen counted yet are the below the line votes from the pre-poll stations,” Mr Sheikh said.
“There are about 80,000 people who pre-polled this time and a massive 40 per cent of the Green vote was below the line as opposed to about 10 per cent for the Liberals.”
But Mr Sheikh says it’s still too close to call.
“It’s been amazing to watch the count,” he said.
“The Greens have been ahead and people have been saying ‘oh the Greens have got it’, then the Liberal Party’s ahead, then the Greens ahead again.
“The Liberal Party is certainly ahead at this point in time and if they continue to stay ahead then they could get over the line.
“Either way this one is going to be an extremely tight one.
“There’s days to go, if not weeks in this count.”
Eden-Monaro
in New South Wales could lose its tag of the bellwether seat, if incumbent Labor member Mike Kelly holds on against Liberal candidate Peter Hendy.
The seat has gone to the party that has won government since 1972.
At the close of counting on election night the result remained too close to call, with Mr Kelly on 49.8 per cent and Mr Hendy on 50.2 per cent, after a 4.4 per cent swing to the Liberals.
A final result is expected by the middle of the week.
Canberra and Fraser
As expected Labor retained the and House of Representatives seats, with Andrew Leigh and Gai Brodtmann re-elected for a second term.
With 84 per cent of the vote counted, Mr Leigh has secured 64.4 per cent of the vote after a 1.3 per cent swing to the Liberals.
Ms Brodtmann has retained 57 per cent of the vote, despite a 2.1 per cent swing against her party.
Hume
In the NSW seat of , Angus Taylor has won, improving the Liberal Party’s margin despite the retirement of popular member Alby Shultz.
With 80 per cent of the vote counted, Mr Taylor has secured 61.5 per cent of the vote, supported by a 2.7 per cent swing to his party.
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