Teal independent Zali Steggall has beaten controversial Liberal candidate Katherine Deves to retain the seat of Warringah.
In her interview with the ABC following her win Steggall said that “people are frustrated” with the government’s handling of climate change. She also stated she welcomes the rise of more teal independents.
Her opponent Katherine Deves was a polarising figure throughout the campaign due to her transphobic comments.
Liberal minister for finance Simon Birmingham reflected on Deves’ controversial pre-selection and the party’s inability to diagnoses the electorate’s priorities while commentating on the ABC.
“When it came to what happened with New South Wales division preselection is and clear mistakes were made in relation to that,” he said.
“I think what we are seeing there is a strong message, and I fear that the impact in Warringah may have had something of a contagion effect on adjacent seats.”
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