NSW election: Coogee win locked in hours after father’s death

Marjorie O’Neill, the new MP for Coogee, claimed one of only two victories for the Labor Party over the weekend.

Marjorie O'Neill: ’It is a bittersweet moment for me and my family today’. Picture: Tracey Nearmy

Marjorie O’Neill, the new MP for Coogee, claimed one of only two victories for the Labor Party at the weekend after she snatched the beachside seat away from Liberal MP Bruce ­Notley-Smith.

Dr O’Neill claimed victory yesterday morning with a swing of 4.7 per cent, enough to win the electorate from Mr Notley-Smith, who went into Saturday’s election with a 2.9 per cent margin.

“NSW Labor is confident that it has won the seat of Coogee from the Liberal government, and that Coogee’s new representative will be Dr Marjorie O’Neill,” said a Labor Party statement.

Dr O’Neill, who will have a margin of 1.7 per cent, is mourning the death on Sunday night of her father, who helped her campaign, as well as celebrating her victory for the Labor Party.

“It is a bittersweet moment for me and my family today,” Dr O’Neill said.

“I see my election to this seat as a call to action on ­climate change, a cry out against thoughtless over-development, and the realisation that our schools and hospitals need proper funding, and our hardworking teachers and nurses need our support so they can continue to serve our community well.”

Nationals MP Dugald Saunders kept control of the seat of Dubbo by fewer than 1000 votes and a wafer-thin margin. Mr Saunders went into the election with a big margin of 20.4 per cent, which was all but decimated over the weekend after it was whittled down to 1.5 per cent, with a 18.9 per cent swing away from the Nationals.

ABC analyst Anthony Green called the seat of East Hills for ­Liberal candidate Wendy Lindsay, who pulled ahead with 51.8 per cent of the two-party-preferred vote as of yesterday afternoon, and a swing of 1.4 per cent for the Liberal Party. The seat was won by only 372 votes and a margin of 0.4 per cent last election.

The Liberals’ East Hills victory ­delivered the Coalition its 48th seat, after Dubbo gave it the 47 it needed for a majority government.