0 6 ▁votes ▁ahead ▁of ▁McK ew ▁on ▁the ▁first ▁count , ▁and ▁finished ▁ 2 . 8 ▁percentage ▁points ▁behind ▁McK ew ▁on ▁the ▁estimated ▁two - party ▁vote . ▁McK ew ▁decl ined ▁to ▁claim ▁victory ▁at ▁first , ▁saying ▁that ▁the ▁seat ▁was ▁on ▁" a ▁kn ife ▁edge ," ▁while ▁the ▁Australian ▁Broadcast ing ▁Corporation ▁listed ▁B enn el ong ▁as ▁a ▁Labor ▁gain ▁on ▁election ▁night , ▁and ▁ABC ▁election ▁anal yst ▁Anton y ▁Green ▁said ▁there ▁was ▁" no ▁doubt " ▁McK ew ▁had ▁won . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 9 ▁November , ▁Rud d ▁named ▁McK ew ▁as ▁a ▁parliament ary ▁secretary ▁( ass istant ▁minister ) ▁to ▁be ▁appointed ▁on ▁ 3 ▁December , ▁and ▁on ▁ 1 ▁December , ▁McK ew ▁claimed ▁victory . ▁Although ▁counting ▁was ▁incomplete ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁with ▁several ▁postal ▁and ▁abs ente e ▁ball ots ▁out standing , ▁it ▁was ▁expected ▁that ▁Howard ▁would ▁not ▁win ▁enough ▁of ▁the ▁votes ▁to ▁retain ▁his ▁seat . ▁McK ew ▁finished ▁with ▁a ▁primary ▁vote ▁of ▁ 4 5 . 3 3 ▁per ▁cent , ▁and ▁a ▁two - party - pre ferred ▁vote ▁of ▁ 5 1 . 4 0 ▁per ▁cent , ▁a ▁ 5 . 5 3 - point ▁swing ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁ ▁Howard ▁lost ▁on ▁the ▁ 1 4 th ▁count ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁large ▁flow ▁of ▁Green ▁prefer ences ▁to ▁McK ew . ▁This ▁swing ▁was ▁within ▁the ▁red ist ributed