Labor’s Justine Keay in awe of upset win in Braddon

NEW Braddon MP Justine Keay is thankful that the federal election campaign finished just as school holidays arrived.

New Braddon Labor MP Justine Keay and her family, from left, Ethan 10, Oliver 3, partner Richard Rainbird and Alex 6. Picture Chris Kidd

NEW  Braddon MP Justine Keay is thankful that the federal election campaign finished just as school holidays arrived.

It will give her time to reacquaint herself with her three boys – Ethan 10, Alex, 6, and Oliver 3.

“I am just taking one day at a time and spending time with my kids,” she said.

She told the Mercury yesterday that the 5.6 per cent swing in her seat was a surprise.

“I knew it was going to be close and there was a positive vibe, but I was very surprised and also that we got all three,” she said of the outcome in Braddon, Bass and Lyons.

Ms Keay, a former Devonport City councillor, said her task when government was decided was to ensure that election promises were honoured.

The Coalition and Labor each made promises worth more than $80 million for the electorate.

“I am also really looking forward to meeting more people in Braddon and trying to help people as much as I can,” she said.

Meanwhile, new Bass MPRoss Hart has recalled the day he began to believe that he could win.

“One of my strongest memories of the campaign was when I was doorknocking around Prospect Vale and I went down a particular street just a few days after the Budget and people were bordering on outrage that they weren’t receiving a tax cut – the tax cut was going to people earning over $80,000 a year,” he said.

“Two thirds of the people in this electorate earn $37,000 or less.

“When I found that figure published in The Australian, I asked someone to double check it because it was a surprise to me.

“That sort of issue resonated with the community and the fact that we were proposing to spend $50 billion of company tax cuts on health and education and infrastructure projects also helped.”

Mr Hart’s campaign was based on doorknocking because, he said, he had no chance of outspending the Liberals.

Mr Hart, who will become the eighth member for Bass since 1993, acknowledged that the size of the 10.59 per cent swing was a surprise.