But local Labor candidates celebrating after swings to them
However Labor’s Auburn and Granville candidates are both on track to win their respective seats with swings in their favour.
After serving in the Legislative Council since 2007, Lynda Voltz’s move to the lower house looks to have paid off with a likely win in the seat of Auburn.
Ms Voltz won Labor pre-selection after former NSW party leader Luke Foley was forced to stand aside over an allegation he sexually harassed an ABC journalist.
With 46.7 per cent of the vote counted, there has been a 1.9 per cent swing to Ms Voltz on a two-party preferred count against Liberal candidate Christina Kang.
Thanking her supporters and campaign volunteers, Ms Voltz said it was an honour to represent Auburn, adding that the result spoke to the problems that existed locally.
“These are mainstream issues that need to be laid at the feet of Government, particularly around changes to train lines and tolls, and the cost of day to day living.” she said.
“Whatever this Government is doing, it’s not helping people who are really struggling.”
Sitting Granville MP Julia Finn also has every reason to celebrate as she looks like retaining her seat with a swing of about four per cent in her favour, holding off Liberal candidate Tony Issa who won the seat in 2011 but lost it to Ms Finn at the 2015 election.
About 60.4 per cent of Granville’s vote had been counted as of Monday afternoon, and Ms Finn said she was “absolutely delighted” that people had put their trust in her for another term.
She said it had been a particularly “dirty and very personal” local campaign and she was glad people hadn’t been distracted by it.
After a disastrous final week of campaigning, Opposition Leader Michael Daley struggled to refocus after a video emerged of him making comments about ‘Asians with PhDs’ forcing young people out of Sydney and a poor showing in the leaders debate.
Statewide, Labor looks like taking just two seats from the Coalition sparking speculation about the security of Mr Daley’s leadership, a position he has held for just 134 days, following the resignation of Mr Foley.