The Liberal-National Party has decided not to challenge the election result in the north Queensland seat of Herbert, although one of its senators believes it could have mounted a strong case.
Herbert was the last electorate decided, falling to Labor's Cathy O'Toole by just 37 votes.
Had sitting Liberal Ewen Jones managed to hang on it would have doubled the government's majority in the House of Representatives.
The LNP had been considering taking the result to the Court of Disputed Returns.
"The LNP has exhausted its inquiries in relation to the vote in the federal seat of Herbert and advises it will not be taking any legal action," it said in a statement on Tuesday.
Mr Jones said he was disappointed for his parliamentary colleagues and himself.
"We had a good story to tell in Townsville, to lose like this is heartbreaking," he told The Conversation on Tuesday.
LNP senator Ian Macdonald said he was disappointed the party had chosen not to launch a challenge, though he accepted that decision was made on the basis of legal advice after full consideration of available facts.
He said there were many irregularities in the election and subsequent vote count that the court should have adjudicated.
"I particularly mention the large number of hospital patients who were promised by the Australian Electoral Commission that someone would be around to take their votes on polling day, but who waited in vain all day and were denied their vote," he said in a statement.
There were also students outside Herbert unable to vote because the AEC did not have absentee vote envelopes available. Many defence members were also apparently denied a vote.
"The count was, in my view, fraught with inconsistencies many of which I thought should be challenged in court," Senator Macdonald said.
AAP
0 comments
New User? Sign up