Independent Nicolette Boele edges ahead in traditionally Liberal seat of Bradfield

The count in the Sydney electorate of Bradfield is close, with AEC reporting only 40 votes separate the leading candidates.

A woman in a turquoise shirt with silver hair is sitting on a wooden bench with her hands clasped on her knees.

Independent Nicolette Boele pulls ahead after a tight race for the seat of Bradfield in Sydney's north. Source: AAP / Dan Himbrechts

Independent Nicolette Boele could clinch the Sydney seat of Bradfield from the Liberals in her second attempt to win the electorate.

She was leading Liberal candidate Gisele Kapterian by 40 votes on Monday afternoon, after two weeks of counting since the 3 May federal election.

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) will now conduct a full distribution of preferences, where scrutineers will go over the votes again.

If the finalised margin is less than 100 votes, the AEC conducts a mandatory recount.

A teal upset

Bradfield in Sydney's north shore is one of the most affluent electorates in Australia and has long been held by the Liberals.

Liberal Paul Fletcher defended the seat from Boele in 2022, but since then, the electorate has been redistributed, gaining part of the abolished electorate of North Sydney, a teal seat.

If Boele wins, she will join three other teals elected from Sydney: Allegra Spender in Wentworth, Sophie Scamps in Mackellar and Zali Steggall in Warringah.

Monique Ryan has held the Melbourne seat of Kooyong, while the teals have likely lost a seat after the probable loss of MP Zoe Daniel in the Melbourne seat of Goldstein.

The result means teal independents are likely to maintain their lower house representation in the 48th parliament.


For the latest from SBS News, download our app and subscribe to our newsletter.

Share
2 min read

Published

By Cameron Carr
Source: SBS News


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world