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CATHY McGowan’s nephew Ben expects his residential status to be examined as part of the Australian Electoral Commission probe into alleged voter fraud.
Mr McGowan was enrolled in Indi at the time of last year’s federal election, when his aunty toppled Sophie Mirabella.
The AEC is investigating whether the Voices 4 Indi group, which Mr McGowan helped form, encouraged young voters living elsewhere to enrol in Indi, which, if proven, would be an offence under the Commonwealth Criminal Code.
Voters must be enrolled at their principal place of residence, but if someone is studying at university they can remain enrolled to vote in the electorate of their home address.
Mr McGowan is based in Darwin, where he took up a university scholarship, and has changed enrolment to a Darwin address since last year’s election.
His situation could be a test case for the rules relating to voter requirements and their principal residence.
Mr McGowan’s Charles Darwin University biography said he took up the scholarship in July last year — two months before the election.
It added he was “working on a large agricultural project in western Victoria, funded by both private (superannuation) and government money” before heading to the Northern Territory.
But his LinkedIn profile confirmed he lived and worked in Melbourne between September 2009 and July 2012, with the exception of a three-month stint in Papua New Guinea.
He didn’t change his enrolment address during this time.
Mr McGowan, 28, said he couldn’t comment on his personal situation due to an investigation being under way.
“We will wait to see what comes out of that, if anything.
“My position, and everyone’s position, will be looked at by the AEC.
“I am pretty comfortable with that.”
He said he agreed with comments made by his aunty since the announcement of the probe, which she welcomed.
“I look forward to the results of the AEC investigation,” he said.
“But nobody from the AEC has been in touch with me.”
Mr McGowan reportedly met another key player in Voices 4 Indi, Campbell Klose, when they discovered they lived next door to each other in Fitzroy, and recruited others to form a group that became known as Indi Expats.
After the stunning election win, decided by only 439 votes, Mr McGowan said the initial aim was to stop Indi being “taken for granted”.
“We were a bit naive and idealistic when we started, but it worked out really well,” he told News Ltd.
Mr McGowan returned to the area mid-year to take part in the “Indi Shares” forum as one of the speakers who revealed the secrets to the success of Ms McGowan’s campaign.