Bendigo MP Lisa Chesters holds hope for minority parliament, says government did not win mandate

Speaking after Opposition Leader Bill Shorten conceded defeat yesterday afternoon, Ms Chesters said the government’s slim majority in the lower house and its reliance on support from crossbench MPs should mean more private members’ bills were given attention.   

She said several marriage equality bills were stymied in the previous Parliament and called on the new-look lower house to permit discussion on the topic.

Ms Chesters also denied the election result showed public support for a plebiscite on same-sex marriage.

“They have no mandate whatsoever,” she said, explaining swings towards Labor across the country showed dissatisfaction with the Liberal National coalition’s policy platform. 

On Sunday evening, the Australian Electoral Commission showed the Coalition leading in 75 seats, though pundits expect the LNP will claim as many as 77, leaving them 13 seats down on 2013 results. 

Asked whether she believed losses sustained by the Coalition under Mr Turnbull’s leadership would see his party adopt a more conservative approach to politics, Ms Chesters said that was difficult to imagine. 

“The Liberal National Party and Malcolm Turnbull are already right-wing and they've been following the far right of their party since Tony Abbott was Prime Minister,” she said. 

“I hope they're not about to embrace Pauline Hanson.”

Ms Chesters also stood by her post-election claims an election could be called within 18 months. 

Labor’s loss meant she and her colleagues would need to work harder in order to convince voters of their vision, the MP said.