News about Australia

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Goldstein headed for partial recount, final result still days away

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) will conduct a partial recount in Goldstein but has knocked back Zoe Daniel’s request for a full recount of the inner Melbourne seat.
Liberal candidate Tim Wilson finished the count 260 votes ahead of Daniel on Saturday, prompting the incumbent independent MP to call for a full recount.
While the AEC said the request was “carefully considered” and “instructive”, it didn’t grant it, instead opting for a partial request under which it will re-examine the ballots that handed Daniel or Wilson a first-preference vote, as well as all informal ballots.

“The AEC is not undertaking a full recount, which would include repeating the just completed distribution of preferences,” it said in a statement.
“We are satisfied that there was a very high degree of rigour throughout the distribution of preferences process.
“This is, in part, the role and purpose of the distribution of preferences process – showing it doing its job as a thorough, closely scrutinised preference distribution and check.

“Given the corrections picked up on preference votes in the final stages of the distribution of preferences count, it is reasonable and appropriate to do an additional check of first preference papers for the two final candidates (ballot papers not required to be re-reviewed during a distribution of preferences).”

The partial recount will start on Wednesday and the electoral commission said it will likely take up to four days to complete.
The announcement comes as the AEC begins its full recount for the Sydney seat of Bradfield, which finished as one of the closest contests in Australian electoral history.
Just eight votes separated the Liberal Party’s provisional winner, Gisele Kapterian, and her independent challenger, Nicolette Boele, triggering an automatic recount.
That result could take up to two weeks.

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