No Liberal concession call after Bradfield turns teal

The independent who broke the Liberal’s iron grip on a key Sydney seat has revealed a snub from her Coalition opponent.

Gisele Kapterian has still not picked up the phone to concede Bradfield after Nicolette Boele broke the Liberals’ iron grip on the key Sydney seat, the independent has revealed.

The Australian Electoral Commission on Wednesday declared Ms Boele the winner in Bradfield after one of the longest, messiest races of the federal election.

A recount found the Climate 200-backed candidate won the seat, which has been in Liberal hands since its creation, by 26 votes.

Ms Boele said on Thursday her win was “certainly” by a slim margin.

Independent MP Nicolette Boele says her Liberal opponent has not called her to concede Bradfield. Picture: NewsWire / Damian Shaw

“It’s one of those times when you realise that every single vote counts,” she told the ABC.

Asked if she had heard from Ms Kapterian, Ms Boele said: “Um, I haven’t, no.

“It’s been a very busy, whirlwind sort of last few hours since we got the decision from the electoral commission after 4.5 weeks of counting and recounting.

“So, no, I have really just been talking to people, having a small celebration, and I’m looking forward to, I suppose, getting on with the job.”

Ms Boele was initially declared victorious in Bradfield but an administrative error was uncovered and dramatically cut her lead.

Ms Kapterian then led by eight votes, triggering a total recount late last month.

The tight count did not stop her being welcomed into the Liberal party room and even partaking in the leadership vote that elected Sussan Ley party leader.

Reacting to the result on Wednesday, Ms Kapterian thanked the AEC and her scrutineers, saying the recount process was “testament to the adage ‘if you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together’”.

Liberal candidate Gisele Kapterian says she will ‘review’ the Bradfield count and recount. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

“This recount has created a different result – while I was ahead at the conclusion of the original count, Ms Boele is now ahead after this recount,” she said in a statement.

“I will now carefully review the two counts.”

Losing the seat has further slimmed the Liberals’ numbers and dealt a major blow to the party’s standing in North Sydney.

In her Thursday morning remarks, Ms Boele said the result showed the “electorate’s definitely changing”.

“Modern Bradfield is much more diverse,” she said.

“We’re definitely conservative in terms of loving business and economics, but we’re very outward looking.

“We love the environment. We care about people. And those kind of care values were just not being addressed by this brand of the Liberal-National coalition.”

She added that voters “were looking for better representation” and an “independent like me, born and bred here, someone of the community, working for the community and not for party politics” fit the bill.

Originally published as No Liberal concession call after Bradfield turns teal