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Greens candidate Scott Ludlam wins Senate spot after WA recount

Updated 8 min ago

Greens candidate Scott Ludlam has won a Federal Senate spot after a WA recount, while Labor and Palmer United Party candidates have missed out.

The results announced this afternoon, which will be challenged in court, resulted in a change to the final two seats.

Australian Sports Party candidate Wayne Dropulich claimed the fifth spot, while Mr Ludlam claimed the final seat.

Earlier in the recount it emerged that the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) had lost 1,375 votes, which remain missing.

Labor’s Louise Pratt and Palmer United Party’s (PUP) Dio Wang have missed out on a seat.

PUP leader Clive Palmer says the missing votes cost his candidate a seat and he intends to launch a challenge through the Court of Disputed Returns.

Labor’s WA secretary, Simon Mead, has also confirmed the party will lodge an appeal against the decision.

In announcing the results this afternoon, AEC spokesman Phil Diak said the next step was the formal declaration of the poll, which will take place on Monday.

Mr Diak says the AEC will closely examine the Senate outcome and any potential challenges.

He says the investigation into the missing votes, led by former Australian Federal Police commissioner Mick Keelty, is now starting.

“So we’ll be looking at those things,” Mr Diak said. “But from here, we will be declaring the poll and then returning the the writs to the State Government of Western Australia.”

‘I’m delighted with the outcome’: Ludlam

Mr Ludlam has welcomed the results of the recount after earlier missing out.

“I would like to thank the work of the Electoral Commission and in particular, my scrutineers,” he said at a press conference.

“I’m delighted with the outcome.”

Mr Ludlam also warned that the Senate race may not be over yet.

“We know of course that other parties are likely to take a very close look at the numbers,” he said.

“They obviously would be keeping their options open.

“The Electoral Commission also indicated that they may consider a referral to the Court of Disputed Returns.

“Hopefully this allows us to get on with our jobs with a degree of certainty. But I’m also well aware there could be a few twists and turns in this yet.”

Shortly after the announcement Greens leader Christine Milne congratulated Mr Ludlam.

Congratulations @senatorludlam fantastic result for the Greens in WA recount but the saga is not over yet

— Christine Milne (@senatormilne) November 2, 2013

Palmer vows court challenge

In a statement, Mr Palmer said his party would challenge the results and the loss of ballots was either incompetent or criminal.

“The AEC has got this wrong on so many levels, which I’ve been saying for the last eight weeks,” the statement said.

“How they can lose 1,375 votes is simply beyond belief and demonstrates incompetence or criminal conduct.

“The original count should stand as it is the only count where we’ve had a full count of all votes.”

Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek earlier said WA residents would be disappointed with the missing votes.

“I think that there’s a level of exhaustion really in the West at the number of times that people have had to go to the polls here recently over the last few years,” he said.

“But I would just caution against imagining that this is something that is common or happens all the time, we need to take a sober and sensible approach to what happens next.”

Yesterday, the Federal Government said it was unlikely “skulduggery” was behind the