Re-elected MP Leslie Williams has delivered a guarantee to the Port Macquarie electorate following her victory in the March 25 election.
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Speaking to supporters during her victory night party at Tacking Point Surf Club, Mrs Williams said she felt confident that new Premier Chris Minns would open his door to hear her views.
Mrs Willliams now becomes the electorate's longest-serving MP while this is the first time the Liberal Party has won the seat in its own right.
It was an emotional night for Mrs Williams, whose children Ben and Meredie and their partners Tenille and Jarrod were by her side on election day. The family is still grieving the sudden loss in December of her husband, and their father, Don Williams.
"The other big guy's watching us upstairs, having a drink," she said to the cheers of staff and supporters in the room.
Mrs Williams said that even in opposition, she would continue advocating for the electorate to make sure "we still get our fair share".
"I can guarantee to every single person that lives in the Port Macquarie electorate, whether you live in Harrington or over on the North Shore, or way out there on Lord Howe Island, you are going to get my 100 per cent advocacy on your behalf."
Mrs Williams said it was bittersweet to see so many of her Liberal colleagues lose their seats, but she pledged to continue championing the seat of Port Macquarie from opposition.
Statement
Mrs Williams' victory ends an at times bitter contest for the seat of Port Macquarie.
Her decision to switch from the National Party to the Liberal Party midway through her last term, left the Nationals determined to regain the seat.
Their candidate, Port Macquarie-Hastings Mayor Peta Pinson, has provided the following statement to the Port News and Camden Haven Courier:
"I went to this state election as a National Party candidate with strong commitments to address local issues, which are the responsibility of the state government, such as;
- The upgrade to the Wrights Road bottleneck
- The Houston Mitchell Drive intersection interchange
- Permanent opening of Lake Cathie
- Saving our breakwall from an unnecessary reconstruction
- Addressing cost of living pressures
- An ambulance station for Harrington
- Supporting our frontline nurses at our hospital, to name a few.
These commitments have been overlooked by those voters who have returned Leslie Williams who has no plan for our region and now cements this electorate as a Liberal seat in an opposition Labor Government. Only time will tell if we will be forgotten over the next four years in the Port Macquarie electorate.
The National Party easily retained the seat of Oxley in the election, with Kempsey's Michael Kemp taking the reigns from retiring MP Melinda Pavey.
Photo gallery
The Port Macquarie News had reporters out across both electorates during the day. Some of their photos are in the gallery below.
You can catch-up on how the day unfolded with ACM's election day blog: NSW election day 2023: All the action from the polls to the vote count
