Tim Wilson officially new member for Goldstein after tight margins saw Zoe Daniel order a recount
The AEC finished the partial recount of 85,000 votes on Saturday confirming the Liberal moderate had beaten independent candidate Zoe Daniel.
A new member for the Melbourne seat of Goldstein has been crowned, four weeks after the federal election.
Independent candidate Zoe Daniel demanded a recount after losing the seat to Liberal moderate Tim Wilson by just 260 votes, saying several errors were made during the distribution of preferences.
The Australian Electoral Commission finalised the partial recount of 85,000 votes on Saturday confirming Mr Wilson had won with a margin of 175 votes.
The former teal independent MP confirmed over social media she had officially conceded the marginal Melbourne seat, throwing jabs at the Liberal Party campaign in the process.
In a video to her supporters, the climate-200 backed candidate suggested that “two steps forward is sometimes followed by one back”.
“We do not seek to divide to win, we do not shelve our ethics or our principles. We do not resort to attack advertising, misinformation, disinformation, dirty tricks or personal attacks,” she said.
“Winning that way is not something to be proud of.”
In a statement posted to social media, Mr Wilson said after 29 days of counting the Liberals had 14,697 more first preference votes than the former MP.
“I want to thank all Goldstein voters, but particularly the extraordinary effort some went to so their voice was heard,” he said.
“Now the recount is finished, the result is clear. It is time to get on with the job and take the voice and values of Goldstein to shape the future of Australia.”
Ms Daniel declared victory in the highly contested seat on election night after early counting leaned heavily in her favour.
But a surge in postal votes over the following days swung the pendulum back into blue-ribbon territory, with the seat actually called for Mr Wilson on May 7.
Ms Daniel refused to concede the seat at the time and insisted on waiting for the full distribution of preferences and then demanded a recount, which was granted in part by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC).
She said it had been a long process to recount the 85,000 votes representing 75 per cent of votes cast.
“Goldstein is now one of the most marginal seats in the country, and with that comes embedded accountability,” she said.
“In that, we have done our job.
“In a world where trust in elections is being eroded in so many places, we should never take this for granted.”