Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Wollongong byelection campaign was a learning experience for the Greens’ candidate Cath Blakey.
Ms Blakey polled 10.7 per cent of the primary vote at Saturday’s election – a swing of 1.2 per cent to the party and a result the 36-year-old described as “reasonable”.
“There wasn’t really any great gain but we maintained the vote,” she said.
“We know that we had a very limited budget, compared to particularly the Labor campaign, and that the independent candidate was very well-known and respected.
“Being the underdog, I think that's still a fair result.”
Ms Blakey said she would continue to build the Green vote in the Illawarra and the passage of the party’s steel bill through the NSW Parliament was atop of its agenda.
“I’ve learnt a lot through this campaign. We’re going to be having some time to reflect on stuff we’ve learnt and how we could do better,” she said.
“The issues that we’ve been campaigning about are still issues in the community, so we’ll still be active.”