One of general aviation's most ardent advocates, independent senator Rex Patrick, has very little chance of being re-elected in South Australia as state swings towards The Greens.
Patrick and team-mate Leonie McMahon gathered only 2.1% of the votes as of Monday morning, trailing well behind the ALP (32%), Liberal (32%) and the Greens (13%). They received only 62 above-the-line votes and 11,899 unapportioned votes.
Senator Patrick, who recently promised to introduce legislation compelling CASA to adopt FARs, described his political career to the ABC as being on "life support." Although there at the time of writing there is still a mathematical chance, it is very unlikely Patrick will be able to scrape back into the senate..
Rex Patrick took a great interest in the plight of general aviation, and has been an active and involved member of the Senate Estimates Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport (RRAT) and the senate inquiry into the GA industry.
Another great voice for GA in parliament, Senator Glenn Sterle from WA, looks to have retained his seat with the ALP ticket reaping 34% of the vote in that state.