With the final outcome of Saturday’s Federal Election still unsure, one thing for certain is that the Parkes electorate will continue to be represented by Mark Coulton.
Mr Coulton was returned for his fourth term as the Parkes Federal Member on Saturday after winning almost 60 per cent of first preference votes.
He received 47,631 first preference votes, almost double of Labor’s Kate Stewart (23,892). The Green’s Matt Parmeter polled 5,128 votes, Glen Ryan (Christian Democratic Party CDP—Fred Nile Group) won 3,502 votes and 1,802 voters gave Online Direct Democracy (ODD) candidate Philip John Ayton their first preference vote.
Almost 60 per cent of Cobar voters also gave Mr Coulton their first preference vote with 461 voting for Mr Coulton on Saturday and 766 gave him their number one vote in pre poll voting.
The Labor candidate collected 237 Cobar votes on Saturday and 399 at the pre poll.
Parmeter (The Greens) polled 41 on Saturday and 50 pre poll; a total of 68 voted for CDP; and 52 for ODD.
In Cobar pre poll voters outnumbered those who voted on Saturday, 1,364 compared to 829.
A total of 74 informal votes were recorded from the pre poll and 45 on Saturday.
“I am absolutely humbled that the people of the Parkes electorate have thrown their support behind me for a fourth time,” Mr Coulton said.
“It is a great honour to represent this diverse and dynamic electorate and I look forward to continuing to provide the best possible representation to every one of my constituents.
“With the overall outcome of the Federal election still pending, I share in the anxiety of many others across the electorate particularly in relation to the Coalition’s pledge of $25 million for an integrated cancer centre located at Dubbo Hospital.”
On Monday Mr Coulton said he remained hopeful the Coalition would be in a position to form Government and that the cancer centre will become a reality.
“In the event that this doesn’t happen, I want to assure the electorate that I will continue to work very hard to keep the cancer centre as a priority on the Federal political agenda and continue to push for an outcome,” he said.
