Mr Walsh woke up on Sunday morning comfortably returned as the Member for Murray Plains and the leader of the National Party which enjoyed some resounding results at the 2022 Victorian State Election.
But he and his colleagues will have to saddle up for another four years in opposition as the Coalition failed to make any serious inroads into Labor’s dominance.
Daniel Andrews was returned for a third term as Victorian Premier after an emphatic election victory.
As of noon on Sunday, the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) had Labor on 48 seats, the Coalition on 23, four to the Australian Greens and 13 yet to be confirmed.
The Nationals were the shining stars on a difficult night for the Coalition.
The VEC has declared The Nationals as the winners of eight seats, but that figure will reach nine.
Mr Walsh was the first to be confirmed, with the seat of Murray Plains officially called in favour of the incumbent by 7pm on Saturday.
“I cannot thank the people in Murray Plains enough for their support of me, personally, as their representative in the Victorian Parliament, and also of The Nationals across the state,” Mr Walsh said.
“Despite having to work from the Opposition benches, our party has been able to deliver at the grassroots level as well as strongly influencing issues at a state level in the Parliament.
“I believe that through the disaster that was our state’s management of the COVID pandemic, and hyper locally, the current flooding situation, as the local member I have been able to help so many people facing so many challenges — from the spectre of financial ruin with their businesses to the equally damaging emotional damage caused by lockdowns and now by floods.
“This has been three very tough years for everyone, and the way in which our communities have worked together to meet them head on has been the signature statement of people right across regional Victoria.
“I have met with people facing the financial ruin of their businesses, sat down with people emotionally devastated by those lockdowns, by their second round of massive flood damage in a decade and feeling there is no light at the end of any tunnel.
“I have been able to help many of them, and still regret I could not solve the problems of each and every one of them — but I will be back at my desk on Monday ready to start it all over again.”
The Nationals regained Shepparton, Mildura and Morwell from independents.
Kim O’Keeffe justified Mr Walsh’s confidence on election morning when she won Shepparton from incumbent Suzanna Sheed.
Nationals candidate Jade Benham holds a 51.31 per cent to 48.69 per cent lead on two-party preferred against incumbent Ali Cupper in Mildura.
Martin Cameron won the Latrobe Valley-based Morwell, which was left up for grabs following the retirement of independent Russell Northe.
In a seat where 12 candidates stood for election, Mr Cameron, a former Traralgon football champion, holds sway on two-party preferred 52.45 per cent to 47.55 per cent.
“Now the challenge facing us as an opposition is to rebuild the urban understanding of the Liberals Nationals partnership, to consolidate on the strong swings that partnership received across traditionally red-hot Labor strongholds and recapture the losses in areas such as Melbourne’s east,” Mr Walsh said.
He said the real pain for Victorians is still coming with the Daniel Andrews-led Labor re-elected in convincing fashion.
“As for its fantasy land of renewable energy replacing gas and coal-fired power in the next few years, that will plunge Victoria into a new dark ages as the lights start to go out when there won’t be enough power and the cost of what is available soars beyond the reach of many families,” Mr Walsh said.
“We have four long years of potential penury ahead of us as this government, with its track record of treating Victorians with disdain, continues to blunder its way through massive failures with its infrastructure strategy — and cost overruns that make the eyes water.
“That battle resumes with the first sitting of Parliament, and because of the people of regional Victoria, The Nationals will be there ready for the fight.”
The Nationals also won the seats of Lowan (Emma Kealy), Ovens Valley (Tim McCurdy), Gippsland South (Danny O’Brien), Gippsland East (Tim Bull) and Euroa (Annabelle Cleeland).
Sky News host Peta Credlin said it was a “good night” for The Nationals.
“They choose good, local people and they run very good local campaigns, very issue-rich local campaigns,” Ms Credlin said.
“And no-one is in any doubt who the National Party are.”
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