Hearing on poll dispute
Herbert inquiry opens
THE nailbiting election result in Herbert, decided by 37 votes, will come under scrutiny today.
The Federal Government’s Joint Committee on Electoral Matters will this morning hold a public hearing at Townsville City Council Chambers, investigating multiple claims of voting discrepancies reported after the July 2 election.
Labor’s Cathy O’Toole achieved a surprise victory becoming the first woman elected to the seat after a monthlong recount. As the recount went on concerns were raised about whether all residents were able to vote but the Liberal National Party decided not to challenge the result.
But Senator Ian Macdonald will today front the joint committee for one more chance to make the case that the result could be called into question.
“Bearing in mind the election was lost and won in 37 votes there are several instances where I want to question the Australian Electoral Commission,” he said.
“This is not a court case or a witch hunt but I will be simply showing that there are all these inaccuracies in what could have been the electorate that decided the government.
“Elections in Australia are free and fair. They are meant to reflect the view of the voters and I’m suggesting in Herbert this may not have happened.”
Senator Macdonald said there were multiple discrepancies, reported by the AEC, that needed to be raised.
“First of all I want to know why there were 42 cases of potential double voting that the AEC thought were so serious they referred them to the Australian Federal Police,” he said.
“If the AEC thought it was serious enough to apparently have 16 people on the ground I think it’s worth looking into further.
“There’s also the question of 29 hospital patients who didn’t get a vote, seven soldiers on training who didn’t have postal vote applications arranged and five students who sought a ballot and couldn’t get one out at Julia Creek.
Senator Macdonald said more information had come to light as the excitement from the election had passed.
“None of these things in themselves are the killer blow,” he said.
“But if you add them all together, in my view it calls the result into question.”