Candidates left out of pocket for failed election bids

14 Mackay, Mirani, Whitsunday and Burdekin candidates will not get a refund following their failed bid to win a seat in parliament

An Electoral Commission of Queensland spokeswoman said candidates and parties could be reimbursed for their election campaigns if they secured at least 6 per cent of first preference votes. Picture: Zizi Averill

FOURTEEN candidates will not be getting a refund following their failed bid to win a seat in the Queensland parliament.

An Electoral Commission of Queensland spokeswoman said candidates and parties could be reimbursed for their election campaigns if they secured at least 6 per cent of first preference votes.

She said if they crossed the voting threshold, candidates and parties could be refunded either for their electoral expenses or on a per vote basis, depending on which cost less.

She said candidates could claim back $1.651 per vote and parties could claim $3.304 for each ballot they won.

Across Mackay, Mirani, Whitsunday and Burdekin, 14 candidates failed to reach the magic 6 per cent mark.

Despite running in all four seats, none of the Greens or Clive Palmer candidates gained enough votes to claim a refund.

Jason Costigan may have missed out on a parliamentary pension, but the outgoing Whitsunday MP and NQ First leader will be able to claim his receipts for his state election bid.

Mr Costigan pulled in 9.36 per cent of the first preferences in the Whitsunday race.

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However his party, NQ First, will not be able to claim back spending in Mirani, Burdekin, Cook and Townsville, with all candidate failing to meet the 6 per cent threshold.

Burdekin One Nation candidate Clive Remmer looks set to narrowly secure his refund, with 6.92 per cent of the vote.

Whitsunday Katter's Australian Party candidate Ciaron Paterson's refund may come down to the final votes, with 14 per cent of the votes remaining to be counted.

Mr Paterson will need to hold on to his first preference position of 6.19 per cent to get his campaign refund.

An Electoral Commission of Queensland spokeswoman said candidates and parties could be reimbursed for their election campaigns if they secure at least 6 per cent of first preference votes. Picture: Matt Taylor

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Mackay candidates below the refund threshold:

ECQ first preference results with 84.68 per cent of the vote counted

Legalise Cannabis Qld, Shaun Krstic: 4.35 per cent

Queensland Greens, Imogen Lindenberg: 3.37 per cent

Informed Medical Options Party, Julie Saunders: 1.21 per cent

Mirani candidates below the refund threshold:

ECQ first preference results with 88.23 per cent of the vote counted

North Queensland First, Jason Borg: 4.07 per cent

Queensland Greens, Ben Watkin: 2.43 per cent

Civil Liberties and Motorists Party, Nick Byram: 1.16 per cent

Clive Palmer's United Australia Party, Tepepe Borg: 1.10 per cent

Whitsunday candidates below the refund threshold:

ECQ first preference results with 85.86 per cent of the vote counted

Legalise Cannabis Qld, Paul Hilder: 4.79 per cent

Queensland Greens, Emma Barrett: 3.89 per cent

Clive Palmer's United Australia Party, Greg Armstrong: 0.86 per cent

Burdekin candidates below the refund threshold:

ECQ first preference results with 87.37 per cent of the vote counted

Queensland Greens, Jack Smith: 1.98 per cent

Animal Justice Party, Dominique Thiriet: 1.38 per cent

Clive Palmer's United Australia Party, Benjamin Wood: 0.91 per cent

North Queensland First, Carolyn Moriarty: 3.77 per cent

Follow @ZiziAverill

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