Election 2013 – Winners and losers

The change of government has claimed some high-profile scalps and left some surprise survivors, while there have been some close calls as previously safe seats look like being retained on wafer-thin margins.

Here are a selection of winners and losers:

Winners
	Chris Bowen (ALP) – McMahonMissed the Labor launch to throw everything into retaining his seat. It paid off, but hard yards of Opposition are his reward.
	Nova Peris (ALP) – SenateJulia Gillard’s captain’s pick has become the first Indigenous woman in the Australian Parliament after securing the second spot in the Northern Territory.
	Mal Brough (LNP) – FisherEmbroiled in a bitter battle – at the ballot box and in court – against former speaker Peter Slipper, but the former minister returns.
	Fiona Scott (Liberals) – LindsayThe notoriety gained by her leader’s “sex appeal” comment helped Scott take the key western Sydney marginal.
	Andrew Wilkie (Independent) – DenisonWhile other independents have called it quits at this election, Wilkie will survive in the Hobart seat via preference flows.
	Barnaby Joyce (Nationals) – New EnglandThe Nationals deputy leader has successfully made the transition from upper house to lower – and from Queensland to NSW.
	Adam Bandt (Greens) – MelbourneThe sole Greens representative in the lower house has survived the preferencing blackout to make Melbourne firmly Green territory.
	Wayne Swan (ALP) – LilleyPredictions of the former treasurer’s demise proved unfounded as Swan survived with only a slight swing against him.
	Clive Palmer (Palmer United Party) – FairfaxPalmer could end up an MP, but even if that charge loses steam his party has attracted widespread support.
	Sarah Hanson-Young (Greens) – SenateHad been facing a tough ask to retain the quota after preferencing deals among other parties, but has managed to hold on.
	Nick Xenophon (Independent) – SenateA strong showing has seen the Independent senator secure the second SA senate seat, outpolling Labor’s Penny Wong on the night.
	Glenn Lazarus (Palmer United Party) – SenateThe former rugby league prop is set to ride the Palmer wave into the upper house at the bottom of the Queensland quota.

Losers
	Jaymes Diaz (Liberals) – GreenwayThe seldom-seen candidate could not capitalise on anti-Labor feeling in western Sydney after his cringe-worthy campaign clanger.
	Peter Beattie (ALP) – FordeThe former premier could not make much of an impact in an attempted move south of the Brisbane river.
	David Bradbury (ALP) – LindsayThe highest profile casualty of the anti-Labor swing, which spared other Cabinet-level members, Bradbury fell to Scott.
	Bob Katter (Katter’s Australian Party) – KennedyThe maverick regional Qld MP has seen his 18% margin shrink to only 2% after a massive swing against him to the Coalition.
	James Blundell (Katter’s Australian Party) – SenateThrew his hat in the ring under the Bob Katter banner, but voters favoured Palmer United instead. He is not the first person to come off second best in a tussle with Glenn Lazarus.
	Sophie Mirabella (Liberals) – IndiSuffered a 7% swing against her in an election in which the tide went towards her party. If she holds on, her seat will become a marginal but a place in the ministry awaits.
	Craig Thomson (Independent) – DobellThe controversial former Labor MP lost his bid to hold onto his seat as an Independent as he continued his legal battles.
	Julian Assange (The Wikileaks Party) – SenateHis Senate run faltered with 1% of the vote in Victoria and no boost from micro-party preferences.
	Bill Glasson (LNP) – GriffithA tireless local campaign by the high-profile challenger could not unseat the reinstated former prime minister.
	Jenny Macklin (ALP) – JagajagaWill retain her seat on preferences after an 8% swing against her turned her double digit margin into a nerve-jangling 3%.
	Christine Milne (Greens) – SenateThe Greens lost the balance of power in the Senate to a collection of cross-benchers after a 3% swing against it nationally, essentially giving back its gains from the 2010 high mark.
	Darren Cheeseman (ALP) – CorangamiteThe most marginal seat in the former parliament fell to former ABC journalist Sarah Henderson on her second attempt.
	Dick Adams (ALP) – LyonsThe people of Lyons do not change members often – but the swing that largely left Queensland untouched tore through Tasmanian seats instead.

This is the first time in the history of Australian politics that the government formed by the new Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, may include two Greek ministers, Athanasios Synodinos and Sophia Panopoulou – Mirabela.

The new Prime Minister may assign the Ministry of Finance and Deregulation to the Greek Liberal Senator, Athanasios Synodinos.

Synodinos’ parents were Greek immigrants. His father was in the navy. Synodinos has contributed significantly to the return of the Coalition in power.

He is proud of his Greek ancestry and stresses he would never change his Greek name into a Saxon name aiming to rise more easily to higher political offices.

Sophia Panopoulou – Mirabela was Shadow Minister for Industry and she is believed to be given the same ministry in the new government. She comes from Corinth and is known for her strong personality and conservative positions.

Another Greek who will not be a minister in the government, but one of the most powerful players in the Australian political scene, is the independent South Australian Senator Nick Xenophon.