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Derryn Hinch claims Senate seat

How did "celebrity candidates" fare in the federal election results?

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Derryn Hinch has claimed victory in the Federal Election results, looking set to win a Victorian Senate seat.

The veteran broadcaster, 72, formed Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party with a platform advocating tougher sentencing and greater support for victims of crime.

The SKY News and Sunday Night reporter stepped aside from his television commitments to run his campaign.

Hinch, who has always refused to vote, last year told TV Tonight, “I still believe compulsory voting is undemocratic. My refusal to vote also was tied to my job. I don’t believe political journalists should vote. I’ve interviewed every PM from Menzies to Turnbull. They know who didn’t vote for them or against them. If an Oakes, Riley, Speers or Hinch votes then they should tell you for whom they voted.”

There were several other “celebrity” candidates in contention yesterday.

James Mathison lost in his Independent tilt against Tony Abbott. With 74% of the vote counted late last night, Abbott had 37,273 votes, Mathison was running fourth behind Labor and Greens with 8,409.

In the Prime Minister’s safe seat of Wentworth, comedian Anthony Ackroyd was running for the Arts Party. With 52% of the vote counted last night he has pulled 948 votes to Turnbull’s 31,578.

Lynda Stoner bid for a NSW Senate seat with the Animal Justice Party appears unlikely to succeed.

Meanwhile former TEN presenter turned Liberal politician Sarah Henderson is returned in the seat of Corangamite, despite a swing against LNP of 1.87%.

9 Responses

  1. How can he claim to have been elected? I concede I don’t know much about the system but as I understand it senate votes have not even begun to be counted as of today (Sunday).
    Is he hoping the laws of probability will favour him?

      1. Yeah, counting of above-the-line votes started on Saturday night.

        (Personally I’m not convinced that 1.77% of ATL votes is enough to say he’s in – I think the # of BTL votes will be surprising & muck up the usual assumptions…)

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