Partial Recount Ordered as Teal Seat Remains on Knife-Edge

Independent candidate Zoe Daniel, who lost to Liberal’s Tim Wilson by 260 votes, requested a full recount.

Supporters of "Teal" independent Zoe Daniel MP cheer at Kingston City Hall in Melbourne, Australia on April 6, 2025. Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has announced it will conduct a partial recount in the Victorian seat of Goldstein, after Liberal candidate Tim Wilson emerged 260 votes ahead of incumbent independent MP Zoe Daniel.

Daniel had formally requested a full recount, but the AEC declined, citing the rigour and scrutiny already applied during the distribution of preferences.

“The AEC is not undertaking a full recount, which would include repeating the just completed distribution of preferences. We are satisfied that there was a very high degree of rigour throughout the distribution of preferences process,” the commission said in a statement.

However, it acknowledged that some corrections were made in the final stages of preference distribution.

As a result, the AEC deemed it “reasonable and appropriate” to re-examine first-preference ballots for Daniel and Wilson, as well as all informal votes.

The recount will begin on May 28 and is expected to take up to four days.

Daniel Responds to AEC Decision

Daniel acknowledged the AEC’s decision in a brief statement.

“I’d like to thank my scrutineers and AEC staff for their diligence and dedication to the democratic process. I will be making no further comment until the process is complete,” she said.

The result is a blow to Daniel, who had celebrated an apparent victory on election night to the sound of Sia’s “Titanium,” only for the tide to turn days later.

Daniel’s early lead evaporated as thousands of postal votes heavily favoured Wilson, pushing him into a winning position.

Goldstein Marks a High-Profile Setback for Climate 200

The contest for Goldstein has been one of the most watched races of the 2025 election, given its significance in the rise of the Climate 200-backed “Teal” independents.

Daniel’s 2022 victory over Wilson was a landmark moment for the movement, as she flipped the once-safe Liberal seat.

Climate 200 invested over $500,000 in Daniel’s re-election bid, underscoring the importance of Goldstein to the group’s campaign.

Wilson’s apparent return to parliament now marks the first time a Liberal candidate has reclaimed a seat from a Climate 200-backed independent.

While the final result in Goldstein remains pending, AEC is carrying out a full recount in Sydney’s closely contested Bradfield seat.

The race is extremely tight, with Liberal candidate Gisele Kapterian leading independent Nicolette Boele by just eight votes after the final distribution of preferences.

Under AEC rules, any margin under 100 votes triggers a full recount.

Boele was provisionally declared the winner by 40 votes.