By JESSE GRAHAM
RESIDENTS across the Yarra Valley put forth their votes and made their contribution to Australia’s future last Saturday.
For the Casey electorate there was no shortage of possibilities on 7 Septenber, with nine candidates all vying for the seat MP Tony Smith has held for the past 12 years.
From 8am until 6pm, voters amassed at polling booths at places such as Woori Yallock Primary School, Healesville Senior Citizen’s Hall, Healesville High School and Seville Primary School to line up and cast their vote.
A total of 75,211 votes were recorded in the electorate, and Liberal candidate Tony Smith clinched victory for the fifth time running, widening his winning margin on the 2010 election’s results.
Mr Smith received 34,971 first-preference votes, while Labor candidate Cathy Farrell received 20,319 votes and Greens candidate Steve Meacher got 7845 first-preference votes in the electorate.
After preferences were distributed, Mr Smith held a sizable lead with 56.7 per cent to Ms Farrell’s 43.3 per cent.
Mr Smith said he was humble to be re-elected and to begin his fifth term in office.
“To be re-elected with an increased majority in a much bigger electorate is an incredible responsibility,” he said.
“Immediately, I started thinking about the next three years and how I can do the best job I possibly can.”
The change of federal leadership to Tony Abbott’s Liberal Party confirmed the pledges made by Mr Tony Smith in his pre-election campaign, which focused on sporting groups, the environment and community investments.
He said that he would be working “flat-out” to deliver the plans and pledges he announced.
Among the pledges made in the past month, Mr Smith had announced a Coalition initiative to bring security cameras to Yarra Junction and Healesville, with a live-feed to police stations.
Sporting groups are also set to get a boost, with a pledge of $500,000 for a new sports pavilion for the Don Road Sporting Complex in Healesville and $50,000 for an upgrade to the Yarra Junction Football Netball Club’s facilities.
The environment was also the focus of Mr Smith’s campaign, with a promise to have the Coalition’s Green Army working at sites around Coldstream, Yarra Glen, Dixon’s Creek, Healesville and along the Warburton Trail.
Click “View Gallery” for some of the photos The Mail took on election day.
