It's official. Whitlam MP Stephen Jones has been returned to office and he will be joined in Parliament by new Gilmore MP Fiona Phillips.
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Twenty-five days after the federal election, the final voting numbers were declared and the MPs were told of their victory by Australian Electoral Commission officials at Unanderra on Wednesday.
Mr Jones secured 62,491 votes after preferences were distributed which was miles ahead of his rival Nationals candidate Stephen Wentworth who secured 40,130 votes.
Mr Jones said his almost four per cent swing against him was a reflection of his very high 2016 election swing which caused by his Liberal candidate's campaign imploding. He felt this year's result was a more accurate reflection of constituents votes.
"When I was elected, 1036 was my number which meant only 1036 people before me had been members of Parliament since Federation," he said. "It is a great honour."
He said he would too be pushing for the money for Shellharbour Hospital was well spent and safety improvements for roads.
Cunningham MP Sharon Bird has also been officially reelected after she got 63,836 votes over Liberal candidate Chris Atlee's 36,841.
Mr Stephen Jones said she was a deserving MP because of hard work over the past five years.
After preferences were distributed, Ms Phillips got 56,652 votes and Liberal candidate Warren Mundine secured 51,025 votes.
Her primary vote was slightly down on her 2016 election result but she puts that difference down to more candidates this time round.
She said the votes came back to her with preferences.
"We needed 752 votes to win and we ended up with much more than that," Ms Phillips said. "We had low informal votes too. I spent a lot of time out talking to people which was important and helped in the end."
Ms Phillips said there was a vibe of happiness about the election result in her electorate.
"Over the past five years I've been campaigning and my recognition has grown but nothing beats being the member," she said
Ms Phillips said she was looking forward to moving into her new office and to help advocate for people, especially those navigating NDIS and Centrelink payments as well as citizenship issues.
She said Labor's loss meant one of her roles would be holding the Coalition government to account for its election commitments
"I will be out their fighting for people," she said.
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