ALP Wins Herbert By 37 Votes; Turnbull Government Re-Elected With Barest Majority Of 76 Seats

The ALP has won the seat of Herbert by 37 votes, following a recount that finished this morning.

O'TooleThe ALP’s Cathy O’Toole (pictured) defeated sitting LNP member Ewen Jones, who has held the seat since 2010. O’Toole had 44,187 votes after preferences, to Jones’ 44,150. There was a swing of 6.19% to the ALP.

The ALP’s victory takes it to a final total of 69 seats in the House of Representatives. The Turnbull coalition will have 76 seats and there are 5 crossbenchers.

The 45th Parliament meets for the first time on August 30. After providing a Speaker, the government will have 75 votes on the floor of the House. The ALP and crossbenchers will have 74 votes. Three crossbenchers – Bob Katter, Cathy McGowan and Andrew Wilkie – have committed themselves to supporting the government on Supply and matters of confidence. [Read more…]


Herbert Heads For Recount With ALP 8 Votes Ahead

11.58pm – The Second Turnbull Government was sworn in today but the Queensland seat of Herbert remains undecided, with the ALP now back in the lead by 8 votes and a recount looming.

A two-party swing of 6.17% has produced a virtual tie in Herbert. At the close of counting on Monday, the ALP had regained the lead it lost on July 13 and was ahead by 8 votes, 44,184 to 44,176.

The AEC website tonight shows 574 outstanding votes to count. These include 61 absent votes, 316 provisionals, 183 declaration pre-poll and 14 postal votes. 68.8% of provisional votes are being rejected as ineligible, so the actual number of uncounted votes is probably closer to 370. [Read more…]


Herbert Still Too Close To Call; LNP Leads By 44 Votes

11.50pm – The result in the Queensland electorate of Herbert is still too close to call, with the LNP member Ewen Jones clinging to a narrow lead of 44 votes in the last undecided seat of the 2016 election.

Having taken the lead for the first time yesterday, Jones finished today little better off. His lead fell to 31 at one stage, before settling at 44. There are 1,412 votes left to count and the result is unpredictable, although Jones should probably be favoured to win.

A win by Jones would give the Turnbull government 77 seats in the House, a 4-seat majority over the ALP (68) and the crossbenchers (5). After providing a Speaker, the government would have a majority of three on the floor of the House. [Read more…]


ALP Claims Hindmarsh, Now Holds 68 Seats; LNP Takes Lead In Herbert, Last Undecided Seat

10.50pm – The ALP today claimed victory in the South Australian electorate of Hindmarsh, bringing its total to 68 seats.

In the only remaining undecided seat, the LNP took the lead for the first time in the Queensland electorate of Herbert, ahead of the ALP by just 34 votes.

GeorganasOpposition Leader Bill Shorten was in Adelaide to claim victory in Hindmarsh with Steve Georganas (pictured), who returns to parliament as the member for the seat he represented between 2004 and 2013. At the close of counting today, the ALP’s lead was 588 votes, or 50.31%. There are 5,514 votes still to count but there is no doubt that Georganas will win. There are only 791 postal votes remaining and 2,663 absentee votes. The ALP is securing 56.06% of the latter.

In Herbert, the ALP’s lead was finally overtaken by the LNP today and finished at 34 votes. The sitting member, Ewen Jones, now seems certain to be returned for his third term. There are now just 3,197 votes left to count: 1,089 postal, 863 declaration pre-poll, 969 provisional and 276 absent. The LNP is easily winning postals and declaration pre-poll votes, whilst the ALP is just ahead on absents with 51.53%.

If the Coalition wins Herbert, the final tally for the 45th Parliament will be: Coalition 77, ALP 68, Others 5. This is a Coalition majority of four over all other groups and a majority of three on the floor of the House, after a Speaker has been provided. In addition, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has secured agreements with three crossbenchers – Bob Katter, Cathy McGowan and Andrew Wilkie – for support on Supply and Confidence. [Read more…]