Burns credits solid policies for Macnamara victory
Many Jewish voters appear to have voted tactically for Burns to keep the Greens from winning the seat.
Labor’s Josh Burns has attributed his successful re-election in the Melbourne seat of Macnamara to his party’s focus on everyday issues that matter to voters, rather than preference deals or political manoeuvring.
There was a 1.2 per cent swing to Labor in Victoria, but Burns achieved a much stronger 5.5 per cent swing and came top in primary votes.
Many Jewish voters appear to have voted tactically for Burns to keep the Greens from winning the seat.
Burns told The AJN he felt very grateful and very appreciative of what he described as a “pretty incredible result” for Labor
“What ultimately was important to people wasn’t preferences. It wasn’t the wheelings and dealings of political parties,” Burns said.
“It was the things that mattered to everyday lives. It was help on HECS debt, it was first home buyers, it was investments in Medicare.”
Despite facing a heated campaign that included strong challenges from Liberal candidate Benson Saulo and the Greens’ Sonya Semmens, Burns expressed admiration for both opponents, describing them as “people of integrity who ran a respectful and passionate” campaign.
When asked about criticism he received from sections of the Jewish community during the campaign, particularly on social media, Burns emphasised the importance of respectful political discourse.
“You can put forward your ideas passionately and robustly, but ultimately, you’ve got to be respectful,” he said.
“I don’t think people liked the vitriol. I don’t think people like the division.”
The re-elected MP, who has been a vocal advocate on issues relating to Israel, Gaza and antisemitism, acknowledged there is more work to be done but suggested the election results represented “a bit of a repudiation of some of the extreme politics.”
“We need to remind ourselves that actually what mattered to the Australian people was life here in Australia,” Burns noted.
The Liberal candidate, Benson Saulo, said, “As I reflect on this campaign, two feelings stand out: pride and gratitude. I’m incredibly proud of the respectful, energetic, and values-driven campaign we ran — and I’m deeply thankful to every single person who stood beside me, especially the Jewish community.”
He also gave a special thanks to the young people who got involved in his campaign.
“Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose — but the important thing is to show up, stay true to your values, and never stop believing in the power of community”, he said.
comments