Forrest MP Nola Marino retains Liberal stronghold in South West despite 10 per cent swing to Labor

Liberal MP Nola Marino has retained the Liberal strong-hold seat of Forrest, despite a nearly 10 per cent swing towards Labor. At 8.30pm Saturday night Mrs Marino had secured more than 54 per cent of the two-candidate-preferred vote, with more than half of the ballots counted. Australian Labor Party candidate Bronwen English had put up a good fight for Forrest, gaining a 10 per cent swing towards her party in the traditionally blue-belt seat. Despite early result putting Mrs Marino as the clear winner, she was not ready to call it a victory on the night. “There’s more counting to be done, but I’m hoping that we’ll get over the line here in Forrest,” she said, but added she would be straight back to focussing on her constituents. “If that’s the case, I’ll just be focusing on the people in this electorate, as I have always — whether in government or in opposition. “That’s what I’ll be doing — focusing on our community.” Mrs Marino said she sympathised with other Liberal MPs who had not been successful in the poll. “I feel for some of the colleagues of mine who’ve lost their seats around Australia,” she said. “But my job is to focus on Forrest itself, and the people in businesses here and that’s what I’ll be doing.”