Monique Ryan holds Kooyong as other independents face mixed results across Australia

Independent MP Monique Ryan has shut the door on a Liberal comeback in Kooyong after a tight race with Coalition challenger Amelia Hamer.

The ABC’s election analyst, Antony Green projects that Ryan will retain the inner-Melbourne seat with a current lead of around 700 votes.

Despite Hamer matching the first-preference support that former treasurer Josh Frydenberg received in 2022, the preference flow favoured Ryan, who also recorded a 3.3% increase in her primary vote.

Hamer gained a modest 0.3% swing for the Liberals.

In a post to social media on Monday afternoon, Hamer said she had phoned Ryan to congratulate the former doctor on her win.

While Ryan, backed by Climate 200, is now on track for a second term, fellow independent Nicolette Boele is expected to fall short in the Sydney seat of Bradfield.

Liberal candidate Gisele Kapterian is projected to narrowly defeat Boele and will replace outgoing MP Paul Fletcher, holding the seat on a razor-thin margin.

In the ACT, Labor looks set to retain Bean after a strong challenge from independent Jessie Price.

Price secured 26.6% of the primary vote but trails incumbent David Smith 49.9% to 50.1% after preferences.

The Greens have held onto the Brisbane seat of Ryan, where incumbent Elizabeth Watson-Brown won a second term.

Despite a 1.5% drop in her first-preference vote, she overcame Labor’s Rebecca Hack, who gained nearly 6%.

Four seats remain undecided more than a week after the federal election.

The Liberal-held electorates of Monash, Longman, and Flinders are still too close to call, while Labor is facing a possible upset in Calwell, where several independents are challenging newcomer Basem Abdo.