Independent Wollongong candidate Arthur Rorris says his state election campaign is just the start of an overall movement to reclaim the city for its people.
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As Labor incumbent Noreen Hay claimed victory on Saturday night, Mr Rorris was celebrating his own win with supporters at Wollongong Tennis Club.
‘‘We’re achieving a remarkable result after six weeks - to get more than 20 per cent ... we’ve beaten the Libs as the key challenger to Labor,’’ Mr Rorris told the Mercury during the count.
‘‘That’s a remarkable effort and what it shows is the people of Wollongong are not prepared to sit down and just accept the mediocrity that has been served up to them for the past 12 years.
‘‘Yes, Wollongong is a Labor town and that’s not a bad thing, but I think what the Labor town is saying is that its patience has limits.’’
Although final numbers are still to be determined, Mr Rorris had generated 20.98 per cent of the 34,589 first preference votes counted by late Sunday, ahead of Liberal Cameron Walters (19.01 per cent).
‘‘I’m very pleased with the fact we’ve come this far and the support we’re getting around the place,’’ Mr Rorris said on Sunday.
‘‘Sometimes it takes several attempts to remove an old tree stump.’’
On a personal level, Mr Rorris said the campaign had been an ‘‘amazing experience’’, which had engaged a new generation of interest in politics.
‘‘They [young people] can now realise they actually play a part,’’ he said.
‘‘I have run as an independent, but what we have stressed all along is that does not mean that it is a solo show.
‘‘This is a movement and it’s just beginning; if we can achieve 20 per cent of support in six weeks imagine what we’re going to achieve in six years.
‘‘The movement to reclaim Wollongong for its people has begun.
‘‘We have fought incredible adversity and the people of Wollongong have, through their comments and their attitudes and their reactions, told us what they think of the old politics, of the dirty tricks.’’