State election | Niddrie: Labor MP Ben Carroll back again

Member for Niddrie Ben Carroll handed Keilor Primary School principal Aaron Wolaniuk a cheque for $2.24 million at a special assembly last week.

UPDATE: Incumbent Labor MP Ben Carroll has retained the Niddrie seat by a tight margin, holding 45.46 per cent of the first-preference primary votes.

Liberal candidate Rebecca Gauci Maurici was on 38.94 per cent. Greens candidate Sarah Roberts was next with 7.89 per cent. 

On a two-party preferred basis, Mr Carroll won 56.71 per cent of the votes over Ms Gauci Maurici.

The seat has been held by Labor since 1976, with eight candidates contesting at this election, including three Independents.

Before this election, Labor held the Niddrie seat by a margin of 4.5 per cent. Mr Carroll and his team door-knocked more than 4000 homes.

“I’m quietly confident that the work I’ve put into the community is paying off,” the 39-year-old said at his election party on Saturday night, which was attended by about 60 supporters. 

“At the moment, my faith is in Labor getting back to basics.”

Mr Carroll, a lawyer, said his first move as the re-elected MP would be to push for the delivery of $10 million for Essendon Keilor College and for the grade separation at the Buckley Street level crossing.

“Education is one of my highest priorities. I want every local to get the best start so they can bring out the best in our area.”

Mr Carroll is also focused on public transport and infrastructure needs, both for Niddrie and Melbourne.

Meanwhile, Labor MP Marlene Kairouz has retained her seat in the Kororoit electorate.

She said  she would continue to work hard to represent her growing community with education and health her top priorities.

Ms Kairouz said she would work hard to ensure projects such as the Caroline Springs train station, the recently announced women’s and children’s hospital for the west and the removal of level crossings at Main Road West all got under way in her next term in office.

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