THE POLL BLUDGER
Victorian Legislative Assembly Election 2006

MONBULK
Labor 8.3%

Monbulk is located in Melbourne's eastern outskirts, and includes Belgrave, Olinda and Silvan as well as Monbulk itself. It was won by the Liberals upon its creation in 1967 and changed hands with Labor's election victory in 1982, and again when Jeff Kennett came to power at the 1992 election, when it recorded a 10.1 per cent Liberal swing. Liberal member Steve McArthur held the seat against the 1999 election defeat but was swept away by a 10.6 per cent swing in 2002. The successful Labor candidate was James Merlino (left), Yarra Ranges councillor and official with the Right faction Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association. His Liberal opponent this time is another Yarra Ranges councillor, Clive Larkman (right), whose preselection followed a failed bid for the more likely prospect of Evelyn.

The Liberals have promised to commit $22 million to building a bypass around the town centre of Belgrave, which Labor has criticised on the grounds that it would deprive the main street of business and require construction of an "ugly" bridge. Ellen Whinnett of the Herald-Sun reported that "the announcement brings to $909 million the amount of money promised by the Liberals for upgrading roads across Victoria".

ASSESSMENT: Labor retain