Former Wallaby player David Pocock has secured a place in federal parliament, after election officials confirmed the results of the Senate race in the Australian Capital Territory.
The Australian Electoral Commission released the final preferences for the two upper house seats, which showed Finance Minister Katy Gallagher and Pocock being elected.
The results mean the Liberals will not have an upper house member in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) for the first time since the introduction of Senate representation for the nation’s capital in 1975.
Former Liberal Party minister, Zed Seselja, was defeated after nine years in the Senate.
Pocock is the first person from outside a major party to win a Senate seat for the ACT.
The Zimbabwe-born conservationist campaigned on climate action, integrity in politics, and territory rights among other issues.
Electoral officer for the ACT, David Molnar, said the final distribution of preferences was carried out on June 14.
“As with all aspects of the count, the automated distribution of preferences undertaken today was open to scrutineers appointed by the candidates,” he said.
The senators for the Northern Territory will be decided later on Tuesday when the preference distribution takes place.
Two Indigenous women—Labor’s Malarndirri McCarthy and the Country Liberal Party’s Jacinta Nampijinpa Price—are expected to take the Territory’s two Senate positions.
Senator McCarthy previously held her seat, while Price defeated former Country Liberal Party Senator Sam McMahon during the preselection process.
The governing Labor Party will have 26 senators in the upper house and will need the support of 12 Greens senators and Pocock to pass legislation and motions in the 76-seat upper house from July 1.
