By MATT NICHOLLS
DAVID Gillespie says he will hit the ground running as the Member for Lyne after being elected in a landslide on Saturday.
“It’s a big relief to have won and a real privilege to have been elected to represent this community,” the Nationals candidate said.
“Now there’s some real work to be done in this electorate.”
In the two-party preferred vote, Mr Gillspie held out Labor rival Peter Alley on an almost 2:1 ratio, winning 65.1 to 34.9 per cent.
Preferences weren’t required, though, with Mr Gillespie claiming more than 50 per cent of the primary vote – 53.58 to be exact.
Mr Alley collected 21.25 per cent of the primate vote, ahead of Independent Steve Attkins (7.61) and Greens candidate Ian Oxenford (5.88).
Mr Gillespie said he did not know when the writs would be returned so that he could be sworn in to parliament, but said he was hoping it would be soon.
“Once that happens we can appoint staff and move into the office, which will be the same (office used by former Lyne MP Rob Oakeshott),” he said.
Saturday’s victory ended an unusual federal election campaign, as Mr Gillespie started his journey more than 12 months ago.
Pre-selected by the Nationals last year, Mr Gillespie was virtually a full-time campaigner in a bid to turn around his 2010 election loss when trumped by independent Rob Oakeshott.
“It’s a bit like a marathon … you really enjoy the finish after doing the hard work,” Mr Gillespie said.
“Being pre-selected so early gave me a great opportunity to see the whole electorate, though, and that was invaluable.”
High on the priority list of Mr Gillespie is the standard of the roads in Lyne.
“The Pacific Highway upgrade was an election promise and we’re committed to that, while the general roads around Port Macquarie and the electorate are in bad shape,” he said.
Although the Coalition made no promise to fund projects approved by Labor under the Regional Development Australia program, Mr Gillespie said he could see merit in the $1 million operations and training centre for surf lifesaving in Port Macquarie and the transport hub in Taree.
“I will be fighting for those projects, but it’s still a matter of whether the money is there,” Mr Gillespie said.
“The Regional Development Australia fund was supposed to come from the mining tax, but it just hasn’t brought in enough money.
“Both projects (in Port Macquarie and Taree) are worthy, but they also require other funding.”
