Just to wrap it all up, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all my web page and Facebook supporters and non Facebook supporters and helpers throughout the last 8 weeks and on Saturday out there in the cold manning booths doing the pointy end stuff that has to be done.
I particularly want express my gratitude and thanks to Stacey Mitchell my campaign manager who worked tirelessly to try and bring about change after 67 years along with many other Liberals from 10 of the 12 branches across Mackellar who worked anonymously and discreetly behind the scenes as well the thousands of people who gave me their vote and their confidence on Saturday. It is greatly appreciated.
From a standing start only 8 weeks ago with limited resources and no party machine behind us I think to score +/- 6% is commendable. The Libs first preference votes came in at 51.2%. down on 2013 primary vote of 62.3%.
Life is lived forwards and learnt backwards as they say and perhaps on this occasion, given the tight election result with Independents now in a position to exercise their leverage with whomever forms government, my hope will be that those that decided to hit the snooze button and vote for more of the same, in the clear light of day, will begin to understand that the only way to achieve outcomes in the political or any marketplace for that matter is to make yourself competitive with the corollary being that the only way to make Mackellar matter is to make Mackellar marginal.
It’s been one hell of a wild ride.