“Ms Tjanara Goreng Goreng has been elected to fill the casual vacancy on the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body, resulting from the resignation of one of its members and Chairperson, Mr Rod Little,” the Acting Electoral Commissioner, Mr Ro Spence, said today.

The Deputy Chair of the Elected Body, acting with the powers of the Chair as prescribed at Section 16(3) of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body Act 2008, formally notified the Electoral Commissioner on 27 November 2015 that Mr Rod Little had resigned his position on the Elected Body, resulting in a casual vacancy.

“All candidates who stood unsuccessfully at the 2014 election were invited to contest the vacancy. Two applications were received prior to the close of applications at 12 noon, Monday 14 December 2015,” Mr Spence said.

Vacancies on the Elected Body are filled by distributing the votes of the former member.  “In effect, those voters who voted for Mr Little determined his replacement,” Mr Spence said.

Following the distribution of preferences Ms Tjanara Goreng Goreng was elected to fill the casual vacancy on the Elected Body. The official declaration of the poll is scheduled to take place at 1:30 pm on Tuesday 15 December 2015.