The Latest Breaking News from UAP

The final buttons to electronically distribute preferences for the Senate were pressed in NSW, Victoria and Western Australia on Monday. I wrote about the distribution of preferences in Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania on Saturday, and the climate activist’s David Pocock’s ACT Senate victory on Tuesday.

“I literally see the future of Australia hinging on people like me,” incumbent Senator Ralph Babet said in an audition video for party bosses.

At the May 21 federal election, Labor won 77 of the 151 House of Representatives seats (up eight since 2019 when adjusted for redistributions), the Coalition won 58 seats (down 18), the Greens four (up three) and all Others 12 (up seven).

History shows us that when a centre-right party drifts from the priorities of their ‘broad church’, their support and party structure fractures

UPDATE: On Monday night, the ABC called Macnamara as a Labor hold, giving Labor 76 of the 151 House of Representatives seats, enough for a majority. In the two remaining undecided seats, Labor has taken a narrow lead in Gilmore, while the Coalition is likely to hold Deakin.

Many commentators tipped Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party (UAP) and Pauline Hanson’s One Nation to perform well this election by scooping up the “freedom” and anti-vax vote from voters angry about how the pandemic was handled.

Tuesday: Australian Electoral Commission says there is no evidence to support United Australia party’s accusation votes were taken home. Plus: Australia’s most diverse parliament

United Australia party prepares legal challenge in one seat after candidate allegedly follows and records electoral officers

Major polling companies changed methods after 2019 failure but two-party preferred measure misses Greens and independents