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THE Myall Lakes electorate is no longer a safe National Party seat in the wake of the 2015 State election.
With the formal vote complete, Member for Myall Lakes Stephen Bromhead will retain office for another four years.
Pre-poll, postal and iVote counts are continuing but the formal vote count of 44,414 is complete with voters delivering a massive blow to the 28.6 per cent margin that branded the electorate a National Party stronghold. A 20 per cent swing from Mr Bromhead transforms the seat from safe to marginal.
More than 54,000 people are registered to vote in the Myall Lakes electorate and with 1351 informal votes out of the count, there are a few thousand votes left to flesh out the figures but the outcome will not change.
The swing in Myall Lakes is in stark contrast to the emerging trend of around 10 per cent throughout NSW.
Further north in the electorate of Port Macquarie, sitting National Party member Leslie Williams retains the seat with a margin erosion of around nine percent.
South of Myall Lakes, the electorate of Upper Hunter is also seeing a 20 per cent swing from the Liberal/National Party. The 23 per cent margin enjoyed by George Souris looks to be eroded to a very marginal three per cent.
However, the controversial issues of coal seam gas and mining were identified as key issues in the Upper Hunter but not in the Myall Lakes electorate.
There are 93 State electoral districts in NSW with Myall Lakes being one of just seven to see margin swings of around 20 per cent.
Country Labor candidate, Dr David Keegan claimed the lion's share of the votes from Mr Bromhead, followed by Independent candidate, Steve Attkins and Greens candidate, Stephen Ballantine. The trio all welcome the voter shift (see stories below and on page 4).
Member for Myall Lakes Stephen Bromhead yesterday regarded the election result from a historical perspective.
"In the 2003 State election the Nationals candidate John Turner received 43 per cent of the primary vote. This year, with thousands of absentee votes still to be counted, I expect my vote to build around 58 to 60 per cent two party preferred. This is a terrific result."
Country Labor candidate, Dr David Keegan perceives the result very differently, asserting "over 50 per cent of voters were in favour for a change of representation."
Independent candidate Steve Attkins says "there was a deep sense of satisfaction as we saw a massive correction back towards the centre" with Greens candidate, Stephen Ballantine adding that "the big swing away from Stephen Bromhead and The Nationals shows the discontent the public has and they'll have to work on that."
Mr Bromhead yesterday outlined his agenda for the next four years in the Myall Lakes electorate:
o starting the $20 million stage 1 of the redevelopment of Manning Hospital and following up with stages 2 and 3
o the multi-million dollar rebuilding and refurbishment of Taree Police Station and the commencement of seven new police officers in May 2015
o implementing the $19 million water security plans of the Manning and Great Lakes to ensure we have a safe and secure water supply and working towards the opening of the Nabiac bore fields to relieve the pressure on Bootawa Dam and the Manning River; and
o working with the business community to build sustained confidence and leading to more local jobs.
Mr Bromhead says "it is a privilege and great honour for me to have been elected to represent the constituents of Myall Lakes for the next four years and I will do so for all residents".
"During my first term in parliament I made regular visits to all parts of the electorate to listen and respond to questions and concerns. This will continue and my door is always open to any constituent.
"The NSW Liberals and National Government has been given a clear mandate to keep going with the job of building NSW. It is now my job to ensure that all the commitments the NSW government made both here in Myall Lakes and more widely across the State are kept."