The Electoral Commission is giving the federal Liberal Party more funding than Labor because it won more primary votes in the Griffith by-election.
In a quirk of the electoral system, the Liberal Party will receive more taxpayer funding than Labor, despite failing to win the Griffith by-election.
LNP candidate Bill Glasson received more primary votes than his Labor rival Terri Butler during last month’s campaign in the inner-Brisbane seat.
As a result, the Australian Electoral Commission is allocating $87,200 to the federal Liberal Party, $75,900 to Labor and $19,300 to the Greens, with $182,400 going to the three parties.
The AEC paid $2.53 for every first preference vote at the February 8 poll.
Candidates needed to win at least four per cent of primary votes to get funding but only three of the 11 managed to do that.
After preferences Ms Butler, a former employment lawyer, was elected as Griffith’s new member, winning 38.6 per cent of primary votes, compared with Dr Glasson’s 44.4 per cent.
Dr Glasson, a former Australian Medical Association president and eye doctor, secured a 1.25 per cent swing after preferences against Labor.
The by-election was sparked by former prime minister Kevin Rudd’s resignation from parliament.
