14-07-2025
Libs last ditch effort to win contested seat
The Liberal Party will launch a court challenge after losing the blue-ribbon seat of Bradfield at the May election to community independent Nicolette Boele.
Ms Boele defeated the Liberal candidate Gisele Kapterian by just 26 votes in a recount that wasn't completed till a month after the May 3 election. Liberal candidate Gisele Kapterian will reportedly launch a legal challenge against the election result in the seat of Bradfield. NewsWire / Jeremy Piper Credit: News Corp Australia
On Monday, the Australian Financial Review first reported the Liberal Party would launch the court challenge, asking a judge in the court of disputed returns to recount some of the ballots.
'After careful consideration of the two different results of the counts in Bradfield, we have taken the decision to go to the umpire,' Ms Kapterian said in a statement on Monday.
'We are requesting a targeted final examination of a small number of 'line ball' ballots that were reserved and considered by the Australian Electoral Officer during the counts.'
Ms Kapterian said she was not questioning the integrity of the electoral system and believed the additional scrutiny would boost confidence in the system.
'Every vote counts,' she said. Independent candidate Nicolette Boele was declared the winner of the Bradfield after the AEC conducted a recount for the seat. NewsWire / Jeremy Piper Credit: News Corp Australia
At the end of the recount conducted by the Australian Electoral Commission, Ms Boele had 50.01 per cent of the total vote, ahead of Ms Kapterian's 49.99 per cent.
The news comes just a week before parliament sits for the first time since the election, with Ms Boele expected to take her seat on the cross benches.
More to come
