Barnaby Joyce re-elected

July 6, 2016

Mr Barnaby Joyce has been returned as the Member for New England in the Federal Parliament.

Mr Joyce the incumbent Deputy Prime Minister, Leader of the Nationals and Minister for Agriculture, gained 52 per cent of the primary vote. His closest competitor was independent candidate, Mr Tony Windsor, who received just shy of 30 per cent of the primary vote. At the Bingara polling place, Mr Joyce – on a two candidate preference after distribution of preferences – received 516 votes to Mr Windsor’s 299.

A total of 815 people cast formal votes at Bingara, with an11.32 per cent or 104 informal votes recorded.

Primary votes recorded for each of the ten candidates contesting the poll were:

  • Robert Henry Walker (Online Direct Democracy) – 8,
  • Stan Colefax (Christian Democratic Party) – 8
  • David Mailler (Country Minded) – 8
  • Peter Whelan (Liberal Democrats) – 3
  • David Ewings (Labor) – 58
  • Rob Taber (Independent) – 26
  • Tony Windsor (Independent) – 208 Barnaby Joyce (Nationals) – 487
  • Mercurius Goldstein (The Greens) – 5
  • Philip Gordon Cox (Independent) – 4

Upper Horton

  • Robert Henry Walker (Online Direct Democracy) – 1
  • Stan Colefax (Christian Democratic Party) – 0
  • David Mailler (Country Minded) – 0
  • Peter Whelan (Liberal Democrats) – 0
  • David Ewings (Labor) – 4 Rob Taber (Independent) – 2
  • Tony Windsor (Independent) – 16
  • Barnaby Joyce (Nationals) – 118
  • Mercurius Goldstein (The Greens) – 1
  • Philip Gordon Cox (Independent) – 0

Total formal – 142 Informal – 12 (7.79%) Total – 154.

The turnout at Upper Horton would have pleased local residents who fought to have the polling place, which was closed before the least State election, re-opened.

In the neighbouring Parkes electorate, the Nationals Mark Coulton has been comfortably returned.

The final make-up of the new Federal Government is very much in the balance and is not expected to be known until later this week with the major parties neck and neck and said to be too close to call. Senate candidate John Williams should know in a few days if he has been re-elected.