I personally think the ballot results this time around should not apply to future forced transfers.
A distinction should be made between forced transfers to departments in the same port and transfers to another city. Imagine having worked in PER for ten years with your kids in school etc. only to be punted back to SYD over a bloke with more years of service that's been on station a month.
In the current situation I think the years of service policy should be applied. IN THIS CASE. But I'm concerned the precedent will be used to make blokes move to another port in the future.