Federal election pre-poll: Brookvale centre attracts complaint

It's the first time the Australia Electoral Commission has used the footpath outside Brookvale Community Health Centre, and the AEC admits it "was not our first choice".

The site on Pittwater Road, opposite Warringah Mall, has already attracted an official complaint to the AEC.

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Incumbent independent MP for Warringah, Zali Steggall, said it is a very hectic and unsafe location.

"You have a lot of commuters queing up for their buses, especially in the morning. You then have the crowd of workers on the campaigns, and you have both Mackellar and Warringah teams which is double up, and then you have people trying to vote," she said.

"My concern was the pre-poll at Chatswood at the last election, there was a fatality where a woman was hit by a bus or a truck. This idea that you have commuters being pushed to the edge is really concerning.

"We've complained to the AEC and noted that we don't think it's a very safe location."

Liberal candidate for Warringah Katherine Deves agreed that it was "not an easy location".

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"There are people transiting through trying to catch the bus who are in a rush," she said.

"You have a lot of people passing through for other reasons, you've got the buses going past belching fumes. It's quite stressful being there and I think just the way it's set up with people trying to get in the door, it's not very functional."

Due to the lack of space and queuing commuters at the adjacent bus stop, the AEC has amended its own six-metre rule for political volunteers and candidates at this site.

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Those workers are usually not allowed to stand within six metres of a voting centre.

"Following consultations with the team, the six metres has been defined from the left and the right of the entrance on either side only - not from in front of the entrance," the AEC spokesperson said.

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