Melbourne's eastern suburbs shift could flip Victoria's election
Five marginal Labor seats in Melbourne's east have shifted to swing seats, now essential to a Coalition win.
Box Hill, Ringwood, Glen Waverley, Ashwood and Bayswater are now the marginal battlegrounds the Coalition must win to gain the 16 seats it needs to govern. Box Hill's population is now 46.6% Chinese-ancestry, with similar shares in nearby seats.
The eastern suburbs have shifted from safe Labor strongholds to diverse, marginal electorates. Small business owners like Tom Zheng, who has run Grain Asian BBQ for almost 20 years, are considering closing because of high rent and labour costs.
Crime is the top issue for Chinese-Australian voters, with break-ins and robberies sparking urgent discussion on social media. Leon Chan, who runs a children's play centre in Nunawading, has added security.
While Victoria's crime rate fell 3.8% in the past year, it remains higher than at the last election.
- 5
- Seats the Coalition must win
- 16
- Total seats needed to govern
- 46.6%
- Box Hill Chinese-ancestry percentage
- 3.3%
- Labor margin in Glen Waverley
Why it mattersThe election outcome likely depends on whether Chinese-Australian voters in these five seats switch back to the Coalition over law and order.
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