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Hawthorn MP contracts COVID-19, as nominations for seats close
Hawthorn MP John Kennedy has contracted COVID-19 and will miss the drawing of the ballot for the ultra-marginal inner-eastern seat on Friday.
The 74-year-old Labor MP on Thursday night said he was “doing okay”, and that he would “rest and isolate for a few days”.
A spokesman for Kennedy said the MP was “not experiencing a lot of symptoms”. Kennedy, who lives in a Hawthorn retirement village, is fully vaccinated. “He was at an event where someone else tested positive,” the spokesman said.
“He felt croaky so he tested and got a positive result.”
Kennedy’s COVID-19 result comes as cases around the country surge, with Victorian cases rising 60 per cent over the past week, NSW reporting a 40 per cent jump in cases and Queensland residents being asked to wear masks on public transport and in crowded indoor areas.
Nominations for the seat of Hawthorn, and for all Victorian electorates, closed for candidates endorsed by political parties on Thursday. Eight candidates are running in Hawthorn. Independents have until noon on Friday to nominate.
Kennedy will miss the ballot draw for the seat on Friday afternoon because of his diagnosis.
The result dictates the order that candidates will appear on the ballot paper. The ballot is now decided by a random computer-generated draw, rather than numbered balls.
Early voting for all Victorian seats opens at 9am on Monday.
Kennedy won the seat by just 330 votes from the Liberal Party’s John Pesutto in 2018. Pesutto is standing again in a bid to win back the seat from Kennedy, and a teal candidate, Melissa Lowe, is also running.
The state seat of Hawthorn falls entirely within the boundaries of the federal electorate of Kooyong, which teal candidate Monique Ryan won in May.
Both Lowe and Pesutto tweeted messages to Kennedy, wishing him a swift recovery.
This story is part of our in-depth local coverage of the key seats of Hawthorn, Melton and Richmond at the November state election.
Continue this series
Inside Hawthorn: Back to true Liberal blue or will teal lightning strike twice?Up next
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Previously
- November 11
Ballot draw favours Labor’s John Kennedy ahead of key rivals in Hawthorn
Labor has finished closest to the top on the ballot draw among candidates likely to win the ultra-marginal seat of Hawthorn, with the teal candidate next in line and the Liberals second last.
Clay Lucas is an investigative reporter at The Age who has covered urban affairs, state and federal politics, industrial relations, health and aged care. Email him at clucas@theage.com.au or claylucas@protonmail.com, or via Signal +61439828128.Connect via X, Facebook or email.