Daniel Andrews has secured Labor’s dominance in Victoria for another four years with a landslide win that leaves the Liberal opposition shattered and the Greens on the sidelines.
The ALP reaped a swing of 5.3 per cent and is predicted to win 61 seats – 16 more than it had – to secure a second term after Saturday’s election where a record 4.1 million were enrolled to vote.
Labor went into the election with a bare majority of 45 in the 88-seat parliament, but its overwhelming victory ensures it has the stable, majority government Mr Andrews had been craving.
The Liberal party suffered a swing against it of 6.7 per cent and will lose some of its heartland including possibly Brighton, which has never been held by Labor in its 162-year history.
Questions have been raised about the future of Matthew Guy as leader after such an electoral failure, but one possible contender, shadow attorney-general John Pesutto, looks like losing Hawthorn.
No-one had expected such a resounding result, with all polling during the campaign pointing to a narrow Labor majority.
Former Victorian premier John Brumby said the result elevated Mr Andrews to “the pantheon of Labor leaders alongside Steve Bracks and John Cain”.
Health Minister Jill Hennessy has called it a bloodbath.
Just after 9.30pm, a beaming Daniel Andrews stood in front of cheering red-shirted supporters to claim victory, and promise to govern for all Victorians.
“We will make sure that regardless of how you voted, we will have better schools, we will have better hospitals, we will build the infrastructure we need,” Mr Andrews told the adoring crowd.
He thanked Victorians for embracing his government’s agenda.
“The people of Victoria have today overwhelmingly endorsed a positive and optimistic plan for our state,” he said.
“They have in record numbers, at the same time, rejected the low road of fear and division.”
ABC election analyst Antony Green said the swings in eastern Melbourne, a traditional Liberal stronghold, were consistent and very strong and unexpected.
“Here is this band of red that’s swept across the east of Melbourne. That wasn’t what anyone was predicting but that’s what we’re seeing,” Green said.
The Liberal-Nationals coalition is predicted to have just 23 seats in the new parliament after losing up to 12 seats.
The Greens, which had been hoping to win an extra two seats to take it to five in the lower house in a possible balance of power, has been reduced to two.
Independent Suzanna Sheed has retained the seat of Shepparton. Six seats are still in doubt.
Former Liberal premier Jeff Kennett has called for Victorian president Micahel Kroger to go.
Mr Guy, who had tried to remain upbeat during the day, rang Mr Andrews to congratulate him on his win.
He made no comment about his immediate future, but called for party unity.
“Every day in opposition is a day closer to government and while tonight is not our night, we know that, we acknowledge that, we accept that, our time in the sun will come again,” he said.