Independent Nicolette Boele has claimed the last remaining seat of the federal election after winning a closely fought recount for the Sydney electorate of Bradfield.
The recount saw the teal independent finish just 27 votes ahead of Liberal candidate Gisele Kapterian.
Ms Kapterian led by eight votes after the first count of the seat was carried out, which triggered an automatic recount by the Australian Electoral Commission as the result was under 100 votes.
Ms Boele then regained a narrow lead during the recount, holding on to claim victory.
The independent won the seat on Sydney’s north shore on her second attempt, winning what was one of the Liberal Party’s safest seats in parliament.
After some media outlets declared the seat for Ms Kapterian during the initial count, she was allowed to take part in a Liberal party room vote for a new leader in May.
The Liberal candidate was assigned a portfolio in Opposition Leader Sussan Ley’s shadow cabinet, contingent on the final outcome in Bradfield.
The margin in Bradfield following the recount is one of the closest at a federal election in history.
It is not clear whether the Liberals will consider a legal challenge to the election result in the Court of Disputed Returns.
Ms Boele’s victory means there will be 13 MPs on the crossbench in the lower house, while the coalition will have 43 seats against Labor with 94 seats in the new parliament.
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