Victorian election 2022: Sam Groth and Paul Mercurio win, Bec Judd quiet

The surprising TV and film stars who won BIG at the Victorian election – but Bec Judd is very quiet after law and order campaign that pitted her against Daniel Andrews

  • Former tennis pro Sam Groth has won the seat of Nepean in the Victoria election
  • Strictly Ballroom and Dancing with the Stars star Paul Mercurio won Hastings
  • Some Victorians took to Twitter to ask how Bec Judd was taking the result
  • Ms Judd has been a vocal critic of Andrews saying he wasn’t tough on crime  

There will be some famous new additions when Victorian parliament resumes with a former TV star and professional tennis player among those elected.

One of the Liberal Party’s few success stories in the election on Saturday – which Labor convincingly won – was that of former number 60 tennis star Sam Groth.

Groth won the seat of Nepean, which takes in the Mornington Peninsula, defeating Labor incumbent Chris Brayne with a 10.1 per cent swing.

He will be joined in the Legislative Assembly by Strictly Ballroom star and Dancing with the Stars host Paul Mercurio who narrowly won the nearby seat of Hastings for Labor. 

Former tennis ace Sam Groth (pictured with his wife Britt) has won the seat of Nepean

Groth, who holds the record for the fastest serve on the professional tennis circuit at 263km/h, celebrated victory shortly before 8pm when he took to the podium at his election party headquarters to announce the win. 

‘I certainly wasn’t expecting them to call it this this early in the night, I’m very happy,’ he said.

‘I haven’t had the chance to have a beer yet.’

In the leadup to the election Mercurio, 59, said he might have ‘rocks in his head’ for wanting to pursue a political career. 

He took leave from his role as a Mornington Peninsula councilor to run for state politics, saying there was things he wanted to achieve that he couldn’t do at the local level. 

‘Local government was pretty tough … and I think state government will be pretty tough – I don’t think I’ve got the hide for federal [politics],’ he said.

Mercurio is best known for his lead role in the cult 1992 film Strictly Ballroom (pictured)

Mercurio is best known for his lead role in the cult 1992 film Strictly Ballroom (pictured)

Mercurio claimed the seat of Hastings (pictured) for Labor on Saturday night

Mercurio claimed the seat of Hastings (pictured) for Labor on Saturday night

He ran on a public transport platform along with a focus on healthcare, saying he will push Labor leader Dan Andrews to wipe the HECS and HELP debts of nurses and health workers.

‘I’m just going to be happy doing something for the community – it’s grassroots stuff. I live here, I’m part of the community. I just want to help people in this community. That would be enough.’

Networks called the election for Dan Andrews and Labor at about 8pm, just two hours after polls closed. 

One celebrity who may not be happy about the result is influencer Bec Judd who has been a loud critic of Andrews – particularly in regards to his stance on crime in her ritzy bayside suburb of Brighton.

The area is one of Melbourne’s wealthiest and is home to a number of high profile residents including Ms Judd with her husband Chris and My Kitchen Rules star Zana Pali, who both have complained of the rising crime rates.

Brighton resident and Dan Andrews critic Bec Judd (pictured) has called for more to be done about the alleged crime rise in the city

Brighton resident and Dan Andrews critic Bec Judd (pictured) has called for more to be done about the alleged crime rise in the city 

Some people were concerned about how Bec Judd was taking the election result

Some people were concerned about how Bec Judd was taking the election result

Earlier this year, Ms Judd claimed violent crimes were ‘escalating’ in the exclusive suburb leading to residents feeling unsafe and that the ‘state government don’t seem to care’. 

‘The increasing nature of home invasion-type crimes in our local community is what makes residents, particularly women, feel unsafe,’ she told The Australian.

Premier Dan Andrews brushed off her concerns saying there were 500 additional police in Victoria’s ranks, 70 in the Bayside area, and he didn’t want to get into an argument with Ms Judd. 

Some Victorians took to Twitter on Saturday night to ask if Ms Judd was OK.

‘Somebody needs to check on Bec Judd,’ one person wrote.