Surprising? Shocking? Tremendous? Anti-climatic? These are just some of the words that locals have used to describe the election result for the electorate of Gilmore. After all was said and done, our community along with most of the country sided with Fiona Phillips and Labor.

The current count shows a +4.7% swing to Phillips and Labor, underpinned by a first preference swing of +2.3% - similar to the national results. Liberal challenger, Andrew Constance saw his first preference margin evaporate on the night with a decrease in his popular vote of more than 7%.

The result in Gilmore in some ways reflected the national mood with the community also shunning the local Greens candidate Debbie Killian.

The Greens will lose three out of their four Lower House seats and would have been wiped off the House of Representatives map except for the efforts of Elizabeth Watson-Brown in the seat of Ryan in Brisbane’s western suburbs.

Most of the Greens and Liberal vote in Gilmore seems to have been redirected towards Labor and Berry-based independent Kate Dezarnaulds. Whilst initially surmising that she had captured 13% of the first-preference vote prior to campaign officially starting, Dezarnaulds was unable to replicate the independent-wave that was seen in last year’s Kiama Local Government elections and ended up with just 7.7% of the vote.

Nevertheless, when it comes to Gilmore, the community has largely rejected the Greens' agenda in favour of a more pragmatic and holistic approach that has been championed by a number of independent candidates.

So now the stage is set.

We are not scheduled to have another major election until 13 March 2027 which is when the next NSW State election will be held. This means there are around 630-odd days of ‘clear air’ where policy makers, bureaucrats and politicians can make big and bold decisions, allocate significant investment and genuinely improve the livelihoods of people in our community.

Big road upgrades like the Nowra Bypass, Jervis Bay Road Flyover, and the Milton-Ulladulla Bypass? Yes, we want them, and quickly.

The Nowra Riverfront precinct? Sure, why not.

Upgrades to the Kiama Surf club? Yes please.

And while we are at it, how about some investment into local services and enabling infrastructure that will help deliver housing? Sewer and water for a start, and perhaps some local road upgrades around our town centres?

In periods of political stability there’s great opportunity to make courageous decisions and enact real change. Equally, there’s a possibility of malaise, more of the same and not much getting done at all.

The Bugle’s View is that now that the country has delivered Labor a resounding victory and we have quite a long runway till the next possible change in Government – we need to keep all levels of Government, honest and get what our community deserves.