Knife-edge recounts could decide parliament’s make-up
Jack Gramenz and Ethan James |
It could take weeks to confirm the members of Australia’s next parliament, with one seat sitting on a margin of only eight votes and an incumbent in another requesting a second tally.
Independent MP Zoe Daniel has requested a recount in the Melbourne seat of Goldstein.
The Australian Electoral Commission finalised a margin of 260 in favour of Liberal candidate Tim Wilson on Saturday, but is considering the recount request.
“Unusual fluctuations” and large numbers of votes “moving to and fro” prompted several outstanding questions, Ms Daniel said in a statement.
“I have taken expert advice and asked the AEC to consider whether a full recount is appropriate,” she said.
“As always I will respect the process and await the commission’s decision.”
Mr Wilson, a former assistant minister who lost Goldstein to Ms Daniel in the 2022 election, said he had had a majority for weeks and the votes had been counted multiple times.
“At some point we should respect the professional staff at the (electoral commission),” he said on social media.
“I wish Zoe Daniel, her family and staff well in the next chapter. I hope she finds peace,” Mr Wilson said.
The commission said it was considering the recount request.
In NSW, a recount will take place in the northern Sydney electorate of Bradfield, where Liberal candidate Gisele Kapterian is narrowly ahead of independent Nicolette Boele after the distribution of preferences.
The final margin of eight votes is under the 100-vote threshold to trigger an automatic recount, which will begin on Monday.
Ms Boele had been declared the provisional winner before further counting flipped the standings.
The recount is expected to take two weeks.
“There have been three recounts in the last 20 years … they don’t happen very often,” election analyst Ben Raue told AAP.
The most recent federal recount was in 2016 for the Queensland seat of Herbert, which Labor won by 37 votes.
Mining magnate Clive Palmer won Fairfax by 53 votes in 2013 after his scrutineers’ challenged votes.
Melbourne’s McEwen was the subject of a dramatic to-and-fro in 2007, going from Labor to the Liberals and back to Labor following a recount and subsequent High Court challenge.
Bradfield could go to a by-election if the recount returned similar numbers to the initial count or be disputed in court if any parties challenged the outcome, Mr Raue said.
In another tight race, Labor is on track to pick up an extra seat in Melbourne’s Calwell to add to its increased majority.
The seat has become a four-way contest between Labor, the Liberals, the Greens and an independent as the full preference distribution is carried out.
In the Senate, the electoral commission appeared to be close to “pushing the button” on the count to decide whether maverick Jacqui Lambie would be re-elected, Mr Raue said.
The Tasmanian is in a three-way battle for two Senate seats with veteran Liberal Richard Colbeck and Labor.
One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts is on track to reclaim his Queensland seat.
A win in Calwell would place the government on 94 seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives and cement its victory in every electorate held by Labor before the May 3 poll.
The Liberals have 28 seats in the lower house and the Nationals have 15.
The Greens have been reduced to one lower-house seat, with 11 shared between independents and other minor parties.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has recommended parliament open on July 22.
AAP
