Libs 'had chance'
Will Jackson
08Jul08
A POLITICAL analyst says the Liberal Party has only itself to blame for the electoral blunders that stalled the McEwen result.
Fran Bailey welcomed Federal Court confirmation of her victory in the federal seat last Wednesday with a bottle of bubbly and a call for an urgent overhaul of the voting system.
Justice Richard Tracey ended seven months of uncertainty by rejecting Labor candidate Rob Mitchell's challenge to the result of the November 24 election.
Mr Mitchell was originally declared the winner by seven votes, but a recount requested by Ms Bailey put her ahead by 12.
Justice Tracey's rulings on 643 disputed ballots increased Ms Bailey's winning margin to 27 votes in the seat, which includes suburbs in Whittlesea.
Ms Bailey said the case highlighted the need for an electronic electoral roll and identification requirements at polling booths.
The Australian Electoral Commission found there were eight cases of double-voting in the electorate, but Ms Bailey said she had evidence there were "significantly" more.
Ms Bailey said a voting system that was "so easily rorted" was a "disgrace".
"The system must be overhauled to preserve the integrity of people's votes," she said.
But Monash politics lecturer Dr Nick Economou said Ms Bailey's Liberal Party had the chance to make changes while it was in government and must bear any criticism for the voting system.
He said an electronic roll was probably on the Australian Electoral Commission's agenda but any bid to introduce a central database would be viewed with scepticism by the public.
There was very little double-voting - generally caused by genuine mistakes rather than corruption, he said.
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