Labor Administration Secures Third Term In Victoria State Election

The centre-left Australian Labor Party (ALP) and state Premier Dan Andrews have secured a third consecutive term in office in the regional election held in Victoria on 27 November. With 68.5% of the votes counted, the ALP have secured at least 51 of the 88 seats in the Victorian Legislative Assembly.

• The win will come as a boost to not only the ALP in Victoria, but Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who has now seen his party win control of the regional gov't of South Australia and retain power in its Victoria stronghold since he was elected PM in May.
• The poor result for the centre-right Liberal/National coalition comes as the party at local and federal level continues to struggle with its identity. ABC reports one senior Liberal official stating that, "We are seen to be representing the fringe,'' as the party moves towards a message of populist social conservatism, rather than its historical economic liberalism.
• The next major electoral test comes in March, when Australia's most populous state - New South Wales - goes to the polls. The incumbent minority Liberal administration is hoping to secure a fourth consecutive term in office, but recent polling shows the ALP could be on course to win NSW for the first time since 2011.