Former representative rugby union player David Pocock is in a tight contest to become ACT’s first independent senator as he battles with candidates from the major parties.
Labor’s Katy Gallagher was in a strong position to retain her Senate role as vote counting continued late on Saturday. The Liberal’s Zed Seselja was polling just ahead of Mr Pocock, although Greens preference flows should boost the prospects of the former Wallabies star.
For nearly half a century, the two ACT Senate seats have been held by the Liberal and Labor parties, but independent candidates polled strongly right around the nation on Saturday.
Mr Pocock ran on a platform of trust, integrity and leadership, and like many independents, he also campaigned on issues around climate change.
Labor’s Ms Gallagher was polling over 33 per cent of the primary vote with more than 40 per cent of ACT’s Senate vote counted late on Saturday. Mr Seselja’s vote was at just over 23 per cent to Mr Pocock’s 22 per cent, making preference flows significant to the eventual outcome.
Labor will retain the three ACT lower house seats of Bean, Canberra and Fenner.
