[Greens-Media] Greens vote grows in Heffron

[John Kaye]

Greens vote grows in Heffron

Media release: 26 August 2012

At the conclusion of last night's counting in the Heffron by-election, the
Greens had picked up a swing of 4.7 percent, holding more than 30 percent
of the two-party-preferred vote, according to Greens candidate Mehreen
Faruqi and Greens NSW MP John Kaye.

Dr Faruqi said: "The Greens have proved that they are the viable
progressive alternative for a growing number of inner Sydney voters.

"While Labor benefited from the absence of a Liberal candidate, an
increasing proportion of voters saw the Greens as a much better choice than
either the ALP or the Coalition.

"In three large booths, the Greens won the primary and two-party-preferred
vote. The swing to the Greens in six booths was more than 10 percent.

"Voters across the electorate were looking for a strong voice for public
education, health and transport. They have not forgiven Labor for trying to
privatise the electricity industry and increasing the state's addiction to
coal.

"There is still real anger at the appalling bias the ALP built into the
state's planning system.

"With local government elections now less than two weeks away, the growth
in the Greens vote, particularly in the north and west of the electorate
has provided a boost to our campaigns for Marrickville and City of
SydneyCouncils. Across the Inner City and NSW, there is much for us
celebrate in these results.

"I congratulate Labor's Ron Hoenig on his election to parliament and wish
him every success in representing the people of Heffron.

"I express my gratitude to my campaign team and the hundreds of Greens
members and supporters who worked so hard on this whirlwind campaign.

"I also thank all the voters of Heffron for participating in the democratic
process," Dr Faruqi said.

Dr Kaye said: "The Greens benefited from an extraordinarily committed,
talented and energetic candidate and a campaign team that worked hard to
get the message out.

"Labor should not take much comfort from their win. In the absence of a
Liberal candidate, conservative voters would have seen Mr Hoenig as closer
to their politics than the progressive values of Dr Faruqi.

"On polling booths and during door knocking, it became increasingly clear
that the electorate is losing patience with the old parties.

"The 30 percent two-party-preferred vote for the Greens in a heartland
Labor electorate is a ringing endorsement for the Greens stand for public
schools and TAFE colleges, for strong public services and for a jobs-rich
renewable energy economy.

"Our strong vote in Erskineville, Alexandria, Beaconsfiled, St Peters and
Redfern is great news for the local government elections," Dr Kaye said.

For more information:     Mehreen Faruqi 0402 118 350;    John Kaye 0407
195 455


Summary results – as of close of counting Saturday 26 August 2012

Primary Votes
·    Hoenig    ALP    18,743    59.2%
·    Faruqi    GRN    7,500    23.7%
·    Simmons    DEM    3,256    10.3%
·    Peebles    CDP    2,169    6.9%
·    Informal         1,856

Two Party Preferred (2PP)
·    Hoenig    ALP    19,957    69.9%
·    Faruqi    GRN    8,604    30.1%
·    Exhausted        3,106

Excluding the booths that were in Botany Council area where Mr Hoenig is
well known, the Greens two-party-preferred vote was 38.6%


Biggest booth swings to the Greens
·    Bourke St Public    +12.8%
·    St James Beaconsfield    +12.8%
·    Kensington Public    +12.6%
·    Alexandria Park    +10.9%
·    Gardeners Road    +10.8%
·    St Martins Kensington    +10.3%
·    Erskineville Public    +9.1%

Highest booth vote for the Greens
·                                 Primary    2PP
·    Erskineville Public    47.6%     56.2%
·    Alexandria Park    44.4%     53.4%
·    Bourke St Public    40.9%     51.0%
·    St Peters Public    38.7%     44.6%
·    Old Comm Bank Redfern    38.3%     46.7%
·    St James Beaconsfield    33.9%     42.6%
·    Green Square School    32.3%     44.2%

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John Kaye
Greens NSW MP
phone: 0407 195 455
web: www.john.nsw.greens.org.au
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