ACT seat of Bean still too close to call between Labor's David Smith and independent Jessie Price CBy Coquohalla ConnorPBy Penny TraversTopic:Australian Federal Elections48m ago48 minutes agoMon 5 May 2025 at 5:26amCandidates for Bean, independent Katie Price and Labor's David Smith (ABC News: Emily Anderson/David Sciasci)In short:The federal election result in the seat of Bean remains on a knife edge, with only a few hundred votes separating Labor's David Smith and independent Jessie Price.As the counting continues, both major parties are reflecting on the results and what they might mean for the future of the Liberal Party in the ACT.What's next?Unsuccessful Liberal candidate for the Senate Jacob Vadakkedathu says the party needs to reflect.abc.net.au/news/federal-election-2025-bean-david-smith-jessie-price/105252450Link copiedShareShare articleThe federal election result in the seat of Bean is still too close to call, with independent candidate Jessie Price currently a few hundred votes ahead of Labor incumbent David Smith.It's been a tight contest for the seat, with Climate 200-backed Ms Price attracting a quarter of the primary vote.Election essentials:Federal election live updates: Follow the latest news in our blogLive results: Find out what's happening in your seat as counting continuesVoters explain what went wrong for the coalitionWith nearly 85 per cent of the vote counted, the ABC's projected preference count has Ms Price sitting on 50.1 per cent and Mr Smith on 49.9 per cent — an estimated lead of just 206 votes.As the counting continues, both major parties are reflecting on the ACT's results and what they might mean for the future of the Liberal Party in the territory.Smith's hold in BeanMr Smith served as an ACT senator before being elected to the House of Representatives in 2019, comfortably winning the seat of Bean with 57.5 per cent of the primary vote.In 2022, he increased his hold, but this year there has been a slight swing against him, currently 0.4 per cent.Ms Price's success has not come at a cost to the Labor vote, but rather a 6.6 per cent collapse in the Liberal primary vote.There has been a swing of 0.4 per cent against David Smith. (ABC News: Marco Catalano)But Mr Smith appears to have failed to attract disenfranchised Liberal voters like his fellow Labor incumbents in the other two ACT electorates.In the seat of Canberra, a swing of 3.6 per cent of the primary vote to Alicia Payne saw her comfortably re-elected, while in the northern electorate of Fenner, Andrew Leigh attracted an extra 5.7 per cent of the primary vote.In a short statement, Mr Smith acknowledged the "very tight" result and noted the Labor primary vote was "holding up"."Overall, it's a great win for Labor and for those who believe in and support public service."Jessie Price told ABC Canberra that residents in Canberra's south felt "neglected". (ABC News: Joel Wilson)But, talking on ABC Radio Canberra this morning, Ms Price said she felt that voters had turned away from the major parties because they wanted greater regional representation."I think partly people do feel very neglected here on the south side, we know that we are not getting the investment, the resourcing [that] the other parts of Canberra are getting, let alone other parts of the country," she said.Liberals locked out?As the Labor Party watches the count in Bean with bated breath, ACT senator Katy Gallagher acknowledged the appeal of independent candidates."An independent is able to focus solely on their community or their seat, and I think a party government has to try and bring everybody together around the country," she said.Senator Gallagher questioned what the future looked like for the Liberal Party in the territory if interest in independent candidates continued to grow.Katy Gallagher has been re-elected to the Senate. (ABC News: Simon Beardsell)"She [Jessie Price] ran a good campaign as she's highly visible," she said."It's not a referendum on Labor, it was certainly a referendum on the Liberals in Canberra."The Liberal party last had federal representation in the capital in 2022, when independent David Pocock ousted Liberal senator Zed Seselja.On Saturday, Liberal senate candidate Jacob Vadakkedathu attracted just 15 per cent of the territory-wide vote."The Liberals are done unless they get themselves together and start reflecting on our electorate here in Canberra," Ms Gallagher said."The Liberal [vote] transferred straight to the independent [in Bean] and that's put her in a very strong position."Read more about the federal election:ANALYSIS: The message to the Coalition is clear: This is not John Howard's AustraliaHow the Liberals lost the cities and Labor found a new heartlandHave Your Say: What was the issue, policy or event that decided your vote?Want even more? Here's where you can find all our 2025 federal election coverageCatch the latest interviews and in-depth coverage on ABC iview and ABC ListenPublic service cuts a 'tough sell'Mr Vadakkedathu said the Liberals' policies were tough to sell in the territory, especially prospective cuts to the public service."These are good policies to relieve the cost-of-living pressure, but we couldn't get that message across efficiently," he said."We didn't get much traction because we had been distracted with all the APS cuts and all the other issues."Jacob Vadakkedathu called the Liberal Party's plans to axe public service jobs "not realistic". (ABC News: Mark Moore)Mr Vadakkedathu said the results were an opportunity for the party to reflect."We need to listen first, to reflect and re-engage with the voters and with some good policies out there," he said."And engage with them much, much earlier than the election."A message to both partiesDavid Pocock has been re-elected to the Senate. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)Independent senator David Pocock doubled his vote on Saturday night and said that voters "across the country" were turning to independents for a reason."I think there's a message for both parties," he said."I've been very critical at the last election of the Coalition's approach to Canberra … we obviously saw them Canberra-bashing, saying that they would remove money from the convention centre, and I think to Labor's credit, they've done a lot more," he said."Canberrans want more … we need specific policies for Canberra that ensure that people in the ACT aren't left behind."David Pocock unseated Liberal senator Zed Seselja in 2022. (ABC News: Joel Wilson)Mr Pocock said a lack of clear direction was what steered voters away from the Liberals, resulting in the loss of some "really impressive MPs"."MPs like Keith Wolahan, Bridget Archer … have lost their seats, it's a huge loss to parliament and I think a real loss to the Liberal Party," he said."What I've seen in those sorts of members are people who are principled, who are focused on the issues, and who really are trying to find common ground where they can push for a vision for the future."'Deep-pocket' campaignLabor member for Fenner Andrew Leigh thought there was more to Ms Price's success in Bean than just the Liberal vote collapsing.Independent candidate for Bean, Jessie Price, is backed by community crowd-funded initiative Climate 200. (Facebook: Jessie Price — Independent candidate for Bean)"I would guess the Climate 200 money significantly outstripped what the Labor Party was spending in that seat," he said."One of the reasons that we moved to bring those specific ACT-style expenditure caps into the federal parliament was in order to stop some of these very deep-pocketed, funded campaigns that were up against David Smith."Ms Price has told the ABC that she had received a total of $54,000 in funding for her campaign from Climate 200.LoadingLoading...Having trouble seeing this form? Try this link.Posted 48m ago48 minutes agoMon 5 May 2025 at 5:26am, updated 25m ago25 minutes agoMon 5 May 2025 at 5:49amShare optionsCopy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter)Top StoriesLiberals closing gap in Goldstein, Bradfield as postal votes favour CoalitionLIVEPhoto shows Zoe Daniel looks into the distance at a press conference at Parliament HouseAlbanese says he received 'very warm' phone call from Donald TrumpTopic:Foreign AffairsPhoto shows a middle-aged man wearing glasses pointing'Laughable policies': Voters explain what went wrong for CoalitionTopic:ElectionsPhoto shows A young coupleNationals MPs '100 per cent' back nuclear being kept as Coalition dissects lossTopic:Federal GovernmentPhoto shows A man in a shirt and hat.Albanese to 'slow the pace' as factions jostle over cabinet reshuffleTopic:Federal GovernmentPhoto shows Albanese, at a press conference, raises his hands while speaking.Related storiesSurge in support for independents in the ACT as David Pocock re-electedTopic:ElectionsPhoto shows A side by side image of a man and a womanACT voters show once again there's no such thing as a safe seatPAnalysis by Patrick BellPhoto shows David smiles talking to two people.'Laughable policies': Voters explain what went wrong for CoalitionTopic:ElectionsPhoto shows A young coupleRelated topicsACTALPAustralian Federal ElectionsCanberraElectionsFederal GovernmentFederal ParliamentPolitical Parties and MovementsTop StoriesLiberals closing gap in Goldstein, Bradfield as postal votes favour CoalitionTopic:Australian Federal ElectionsPhoto shows Zoe Daniel looks into the distance at a press conference at Parliament HouseAlbanese says he received 'very warm' phone call from Donald TrumpTopic:Foreign Affairs'Laughable policies': Voters explain what went wrong for CoalitionTopic:ElectionsNationals MPs '100 per cent' back nuclear being kept as Coalition dissects lossTopic:Federal GovernmentAlbanese to 'slow the pace' as factions jostle over cabinet reshuffleTopic:Federal GovernmentJust InWhat moving to a rural town for love is really likeTopic:Perspective13m ago13 minutes agoMon 5 May 2025 at 6:00amTeal MP Zoe Daniel's high-profile seat is just one of 16 still in doubtTopic:Explainer14m ago14 minutes agoMon 5 May 2025 at 5:59amForeign gold miner beefs up takeover offer for WA partner to $3.7bTopic:Gold20m ago20 minutes agoMon 5 May 2025 at 5:53amPhilippine president's reported half-sister fined over conduct on Jetstar flightTopic:Courts31m ago31 minutes agoMon 5 May 2025 at 5:42amMore Just InBack to top