Michelle Grattan writes in The Conversation (31.7.16) about the finalised election recount in the north Queensland seat of Herbert, where Labor’s Cathy O’Toole has won by a handful of votes, gaining the second new seat in Queensland for the ALP.
‘Labor has won the Queensland seat of Herbert, but the Liberal National Party has left the way open for a court challenge.
‘The Australian Electoral Commission declared on Sunday that ALP candidate Cathy O’Toole had beaten sitting Liberal Ewen Jones by 37 votes, after a recount.
‘The Queensland LNP said in a statement it was “examining a number of issues reported to the party to determine if all Herbert electors were given the opportunity to vote”. It will then decide whether to appeal to the Court of Disputed Returns, which is the High Court, calling for a fresh election in the seat.
‘… Herbert is the last House of Representatives seat to be finalised. The result means the Turnbull government has the narrowest possible majority – 76 seats in the 150-member house.’