Sam Birrell is joined by wife Lisa Birrell and some of his supporters celebrating his return as Federal Member for Nicholls.
The federal electorate of Nicholls will again be represented by Sam Birrell after he retained the seat in what was a landslide win for The Nationals.
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With 76 of 79 polling places returned as of 2pm Sunday, Mr Birrell had received 44,889 votes — 48.04 per cent of the vote.
His closest competitor was Labor’s Kim Travers with 22,014 votes (23.56 per cent).
Mr Birrell was pleased to return as member for Nicholls for a second term.
“It’s a great thing to serve a term and then be re-elected and put here again,” he said.
Speaking to The News before it was announced that Labor had won government federally, Mr Birrell said if the Coalition was not in government he would not be able to guarantee delivery on all the election promises that were dependent on the Coalition being in power.
However, he said he would “make every effort” to get those things for the people of Nicholls.
Following Labor’s landslide federal victory, Mr Birrell said being in opposition again is a position he’d rather not have.
“You’d rather be in government,” he said.
“But it doesn’t limit your ability to be an effective representative in Canberra.”
Mr Birrell said he would continue to advocate for regional areas.
To those who voted for him, Mr Birrell wanted to say ‘thank you’.
“I’ll never take it for granted,” he said.
“I got in this to do a job and to represent my community.”
Mr Birrell spent his day on Saturday at polling booths in Shepparton, Mooroopna, Tatura, Toolamba, Kialla, Orrvale, Congupna and Shepparton East.
“As voting slowed down in the afternoon, I wanted to thank as many volunteers as I could,” he said.
“I’m incredibly grateful to the volunteers, with some on their feet for eight hours.
Sam Birrell, with wife Lisa Birrell, celebrate his return as Federal Member for Nicholls for the second term.
“Only people who have done it know what it feels like on your feet on election day.
“We respect democracy, we respect opponents, and we fight for what we believe in.”
Mr Birrell also praised the volunteers handing out how-to-vote cards for other candidates standing against him, particularly Labor’s.
“I’m equally thankful to and admire them because they believe in something and are prepared to stand on their feet for it,” Mr Birrell said.
“The banter between different people (from different parties) handing out how-to vote cards was good.”
“These people participated in a really respectful way, and I’m appreciative of that.”
To those who did not vote for him, Mr Birrell said he also represented them, as their member.
“I don’t mind being disagreed with or people putting different points of view, but do it respectively and constructively,” he said.
Federal Electorate District Council Nicholls branch president Lindsay Dann announced Mr Birrell’s win to National party faithful at a gathering in Shepparton on Saturday night of all those who helped in the campaign.
“Three years ago it was an election at knife edge at this point (in Nicholls). Here we are in 2025 and we already know we smashed it in Nicholls,” he said while announcing the win about 8.30pm.
The win for Mr Birrell was a bittersweet one, with the Coalition not gaining enough seats for power.
“The win is tinged with sadness because we’re going to lose some colleagues,” he told his party faithful.
In surrounding electorates, Saturday was a good night for other incumbents as well.
As of 2pm Sunday, Labor incumbent Lisa Chesters was still leading in the electorate of Bendigo, however the race had tightened significantly.
With 62 of 66 polling places returned, Ms Chesters had received 30,881 votes — 33.79 per cent of the vote.
But the Nationals’ Andrew Lethlean was not far behind her as her closest competitor with 28,178 votes (30.83 per cent).
In the seat of Indi, incumbent Independent Helen Haines appears to have retained her seat.
As of Sunday afternoon, Ms Haines had 37,514 votes, 43.1 per cent of returned votes.
It also looks like Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party Sussan Ley will return for another term in the seat of Farrer with 39,643 votes as of Sunday afternoon (43.18 per cent).
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