Liberal Brad Hazzard not taking result in Wakehurst for granted

Brad Hazzard has declared victory in Wakehurst – and has already revealed he plans on getting to work on an east to west rapid bus transit service.

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Brad Hazzard declared it “full steam ahead” on the east to west rapid bus route as he declared victory in Wakehurst.

The veteran Liberal MP was surrounded by his supporters at Forestville RSL as he declared shortly after 9.30pm.

Brad Hazzard celebrates with supporters.

“Once this all settles down I will be working with Rob Stokes, Jonathan O’Dea and James Griffin and arranging meetings with the transport minister to make sure it is full steam ahead,” he said of the Dee Why to Chatswood service.

Mr Hazzard has been MP for Pittwater since 1991 but said the nerves are always ever present on election day.

“Each and every time that I have stood I always wonder what the result will be. But again I’ve been humbled by the fact that so many people have been supportive.”

He said the big issues he would look to tackle over the next four years include providing more jobs for young people on the northern beaches, ensuring the success of the new hospital and improving public transport.

On the hospital he said: “I intend to have a Northern Beaches Hospital that works for everyone.”

He said there would continue to be a hospital at Mona Vale but said its focus would be on acute, palliative care, drug and alcohol services and a new ambulance station.

“The hospital still has a key role to play but some of the buildings are so infested with asbestos that it is not sensible to keep them.”

Mr Hazzard also paid tribute to his volunteers and all those who volunteered for different parties across Wakehurst.

“We kid ourselves if we think it is all us,” he said. “I am privileged to work with an amazing team. There have been so many volunteers for all the parties out today. They all deserve praise.”

At the time of writing Mr Hazzard has 60.56 per cent of the vote with his nearest challenger Labor’s Chris Sharpe on 16.91 per cent.

EARLIER

Sitting Liberal MP for Wakehurst, Brad Hazzard, would need a 25 per cent swing against him to be dislodged from the seat that he has held since 1991, but he was not taking the NSW election result for granted.

Speaking outside the Allambie Heights Community Centre today, Mr Hazzard said the election was like “sitting for school exams every four years”.

Liberal MP for Wakehurst, Brad Hazzard, with an election volunteer outside Allambie Heights Community Centre.

“You never really know how you’re are going to be marked,” he said.

Mr Hazzard was at the start of his rounds of polling centres, urging more voters to the Liberal camp.

He hoped the government’s announcement last week of an east-west express bus service across the northern beaches would also add to his vote count.

Mr Hazzard even dropped by into the neigbouring electorate of Davidson to see its Liberal MP Jonathan O’Dea.

Labor’s Chris Sharpe, who promised that a Labor government would properly resource the Northern Beaches Hospital, was out early today in his shorts and runners, visiting booths across Wakehurst.

Labor candidate for Wakehurst, Chris Sharpe (centre), wishing election volunteers from the NSW Greens and Liberal Party luck at St Kevin’s Catholic School, Dee Why.

At St Kevin’s Catholic School in Dee Why Mr Sharpe put his arms around election volunteers from the NSW Greens and the Liberals and wished them luck.

“It’s been a very busy day so far,” he said. “There have been some long queues at some places.

“People have been very polite to us. Some take all the how to vote material from all parties, some just take one party’s material and some don’t take any at all.

“I’m hoping Labor can improve its vote here from the 2015 election.”

NSW One Nation volunteer John Pearce, had his mini schnauzer Satchmo for company at Narraweena Public School.

At Narraweena Public School One Nation volunteer John Pearce had his pet mini-schnauzer, Satchmo, for company as he handed out how to vote cards for the party’s NSW leader, and former Labor heavyweight, Mark Latham.

“It’s been pretty quiet for me, I’ve got to say.”

Volunteer cooks, Nicole Adler and Andrew Lambert, at the P & C fundraising barbecue at Narraweena Public School.

If One Nation was not tempting the voters, the barbecue hosted by the Narraweena P & C was proving super popular.

Parent Nicole Adler, who was cooking up hundreds of bacon rashers and sausages with another parent Andrew Lambert, said it was “non-stop” since the gates to the school opened at 8am.