By Cara Waters
Zoe Daniel has requested a recount in Goldstein after counting today arrived at a final margin of 260 votes in favour of Liberal Tim Wilson.
The Australian Electoral Commission automatically undertakes a recount if the margin is under 100 votes, but candidates can also request one if they have sufficient grounds.
Zoe Daniel on election day.Credit: Justin McManus
A spokesman for the AEC said the full distribution of preferences was finalised today in favour of Wilson.
“A recount request is being considered, and an announcement regarding that decision will be made when able,” he said.
Daniel said: “In light of the very tight margin and several errors being picked up in the portion of the count that was included in the distribution of preferences, leading to unusual fluctuations and large numbers of votes moving to and fro in the final stages of the count, I have taken expert advice and asked the AEC to consider whether a full recount is appropriate.
“There are also several outstanding questions regarding the broader count which would be resolved by a recount. As always, I will respect the process and await the commission’s decision.”
Posting to social media platform X, Wilson said the AEC had confirmed the final Goldstein margin of 260 votes in his favour.
“We have continually had a majority of votes for nearly three weeks, and it never fell below 100 which is the threshold for an automatic recount,” he said.
Wilson said the votes had been counted at least four times and Liberal and teal volunteers had scrutineered the count.
“And now the former MP is asking for a full recount,” he said. “At some point we should respect the professional staff at the [AEC]. I wish Zoe Daniel, her family and staff well in the next chapter. I hope she finds peace.”
Tim Wilson claimed victory in Goldstein at a press conference two weeks ago.Credit: Paul Jeffers
Daniel initially claimed victory in Goldstein on election night but postal votes came in strongly in Wilson’s favour leading him to claim a win in the seat two weeks ago.
However, Daniel did not concede and since then the count in Goldstein has continued, with Daniel narrowing the margin to as little as 128 votes to Wilson at one stage.
Daniel has been getting advice from data scientist Simon Jackman, who has pointed out the increased size of electorates since the 100-vote trigger for a recount was decided in 2007, and to anomalies in the count.
Jackman said the AEC’s 100-vote guidance was implemented following the McEwen recount of 2007.
“That 100 votes is not key to an error rate, it’s an absolute number,” he said. “It was conjured up in 2007 when electorates were a lot smaller than they are now.”
Jackman said that because Goldstein was 40 per cent larger than the average electorate in 2007, he thought Daniel could make the argument that a 100-vote margin in 2007 was a 140-vote margin today.
Jackman also said there were anomalies in the Goldstein count that might deserve a recount.
“If you look closely at the Goldstein count, there are a few hiccups in the count,” he said. “The AEC or someone has made a mistake at the Hampton pre-poll voting centre where a huge bundle of votes that were given to Zoe Daniel were then taken away, and it looks like they may have gone over to the Greens candidate in large [part].”
Jackman said the count had been “a bit bumpy” in some polling centres in Goldstein, particularly the Brighton pre-poll centre, and a recount would help dissipate any concerns.
“Why not take another two or three days to just put any issues to bed and that way no one’s got any argument at all?” he said.
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