Labor Narrowly Retains Werribee in By-Election with Significant Swing Against

Labor's John Lister secures victory in Werribee by-election, but a 16.5% swing against the party highlights growing voter dissatisfaction.

Labor candidate John Lister won the Werribee by-election with 50.71% of the two-party-preferred vote, narrowly defeating Liberal candidate Steve Murphy.
The by-election saw a significant 16.5% swing against Labor, with its primary vote dropping to 28.9%, down from 45% in the 2022 state election.
Voter discontent over issues such as crime, traffic congestion, and cost-of-living pressures contributed to the major parties losing ground to independents and minor parties.
The result serves as a warning for both major parties, with analysts noting increasing fragmentation of the electorate and declining trust in the two-party system.
John Lister, a local teacher and volunteer firefighter, emphasized his commitment to addressing community concerns and rebuilding trust in the lead-up to the next state election.