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He is well known around Wollongong, having led the city as lord mayor for the past five years, but not even a person of Gordon Bradbery's stature could compete with the “powerful force” of the Labor Party.
Cr Bradbery, who stood as an independent at the weekend's Wollongong byelection, could only imagine what could have been as he watched his state membership ambition quickly shift out of reach on Saturday night.
The 65-year-old described his then primary vote tally of 32 per cent – and subsequent defeat at the hands of Labor’s Paul Scully – as a “disappointing” outcome.
“I was up against an incredibly powerful force,” Cr Bradbery said of the Labor Party’s “very well-organised” campaign.
“They certainly poured a lot of resources into it and, to his credit, Paul Scully did a great job in trying to get a profile.”
It’s just going to be business as usual on Monday and nothing’s going to change; that’s the choice the people have made.
- Gordon Bradbery
Despite being gracious in defeat, Cr Bradbery used his concession to pour cold water on Mr Scully’s “fresh start for Wollongong” mantra.
“As far as I’m concerned, all the promises that were made by the Labor candidate won’t come to a cracker, because they’re not in government and they’re not likely to be in government for another two-and-a-half years,” he said.
“So, we’re back to where we were; the status quo has been maintained.”
Cr Bradbery did have some individual booth victories, out-polling Mr Scully on primary votes at Gwynneville Public, Mount St Thomas Public, Smith’s Hill High School, Unanderra Public and Wollongong Town Hall.
On Sunday afternoon, as the count continued, the councillor had 33.9 per cent of the primary vote.
“The seat of Wollongong is one that needs special attention and the tragedy is that it’s going to continue on the same way [under Labor], in terms of getting state resources directed toward it,” he said.
“So, it’s just going to be business as usual on Monday and nothing’s going to change; that’s the choice the people have made.”