Anthony Albanese has attempted to manage expectations for Labor’s chances in an upcoming by-election in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs. The Aston by-election will serve as a test for the government’s first 10 months in office.
Speaking to reporters, Albanese acknowledged the difficulty of winning a seat from the opposition during a by-election, which hasn’t happened in 100 years.
He noted that the incumbent had won 54.7% of the primary vote in 2019, making it the sixth safest seat out of 151 in Australia. However, Albanese believes that Mary Doyle, Labor’s candidate for Aston, deserves another opportunity to contest the seat after her strong performance in the 2022 federal election.
Doyle, a former union official and breast cancer survivor, plans to focus on defending Medicare in her campaign. The by-election was triggered by the sudden resignation of former Liberal cabinet minister Alan Tudge, with the Liberals holding Aston by a narrow margin of 2.8%. However, it was previously a safe seat, with Doyle reducing the margin to 10.1% at the last federal election.
In contrast to Doyle’s focus on Medicare, Liberal candidate Roshena Campbell plans to address local infrastructure issues and the cost of living crisis.
The Greens have also announced their candidate, environmental engineer and pilates instructor Angelica Di Camillo, who plans to focus on making childcare free, putting dental and mental health into Medicare, and freezing interest rates and rents.
Albanese launched Labor’s campaign with a speech praising Doyle’s credentials as a suburban mother who understands mortgage stress and has worked in finance and industrial relations for 25 years.
He described her as someone who cares about her community and the environment and is driven by the desire to leave a better world for future generations.
»Anthony Albanese flies to Victoria to start campaigning for an upcoming by-election«
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