Mr Barling said he was very encouraged by the results, which showed Labor had attained 41.50 per cent of the vote on a two party preferred basis – an improvement on the 39.93 per cent it received at the 2013 federal election.

“I went into this whole campaign with a deliberate focus on being fearless,” he said.

“Being fearless about presenting Labor policies, being fearless about arguing the Labor case, being fearless in terms of saying ‘we can make change if we really want to’, and I’ve been able to maintain that focus.

“I go to bed tonight quite tired but quite happy with the way we’ve done that.”

Mr Barling believed that change was on the way for the electorate, which has been represented by the Liberal Party since 1955.

He said his strong links with his community, particularly around Warrnambool, had helped him.

“If you look at my results coming out of the booths in Warrnambool, it reflects the fact that I have a reputation around here and that’s not a reputation you can deliberately build,” Mr Barling said.

“It comes from being embedded and enmeshed and committed to your community.”

He said it had been a revelation to realise how much people cared about Medicare as he travelled around Wannon.

In the face of an uncertain national result, Mr Barling said Labor had fought hard to hold the Coalition accountable.

“I think the next parliament is going to be a very, very tough one for [the Coalition],” he said. “We’ve painted them into a corner on really, really critical issues.”

The long-time teacher said he would not run for Wannon again.

“The window of opportunity that I’ve had to have a go at this is probably closed now,” Mr Barling said.

He said his family was his core focus, and he would happily return to his teaching position.

“I never saw myself as going into politics,” Mr Barling said. “I saw myself as a school teacher going into parliament.”