Hastie wins Canning by-election

After he was deposed, Abbott supporters claimed Canning had been on track under him for a better outcome than some of the public polling had suggested.

Labor made one last ditch effort to derail Mr Hastie’s campaign setting up placards at polling booths throughout the south-eastern suburbs with Ms Bishop and former PM Tony Abbott embracing with the words “Loyalty” splashed across them.

As a result, the swing to Labor should reduce somewhat as these postals are counted, and I expect the final swing to Labor to be about 6.5%.

Deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop, flanking Hastie at the Liberals’ victory celebration on Saturday night, said it was “a most impressive outcome”.

However, the Liberals concentrated on Mr Hastie’s military experience, contrasting his career in the SAS against the background of his Labor opponent Matt Keogh, a corporate lawyer.

“He will make a mighty contribution to the life of this country and on behalf of the liberal party we are so glad to have him as a member of the party and as a member of Federal Parliament”.

“We did win the first war, we got rid of Tony Abbott”, he said.

“It is quite clear the people of Canning don’t care about Canberra politics or tricky games”.

Early in the day Labor candidate Matt Keogh said he had run a “great campaign”. “The voters love Bill [Shorten], despite what you might read in the newspapers”, he said. Turnbull was there once. “If that’s any guide to how he’s going to operate as the prime minister, the AFP security detail have a big job ahead of them”.

“The Liberal Party sacrificed Australia’s prime minister to hold the seat of Canning”, he said.

“I want to thank and honour the service of Tony Abbott”.

Labor’s primary vote gains came mainly at the expense of the Liberals and Palmer United, who benefited from drawing the top square on the ballot paper. Labor’s campaign had turned a safe Liberal seat into a marginal one. He said the result was a strong rejection of the federal coalition’s “cuts and broken promises”.

Mr Hastie told reporters after Mr Turnbull’s victory that he supported the new leader and did not think the leadership turmoil would have an impact on his election chances.

Shorten said Labor’s policies of job creation and the insecurity in the government’s leadership could bode well for the Opposition.

Scott Morrison is widely expected to replace Joe Hockey as Treasurer, Education Minister Christopher Pyne is tipped to move to Defence, more women are considered likely for promotion, including Michaelia Cash, Marise Payne and Kelly O’Dwyer, while long-serving ministers Eric Abetz and Kevin Andrews are expected to be dropped from cabinet.