MP Phil Donato retained his seat as an independant for the Orange electorate following Saturday’s NSW State election.
Saturday, 25th March saw the NSW elections run with more democratic sausages sold across the state than ever before.
The Labor Party took the lead early in the count and in record time, was deemed to take the leadership of NSW, winning 46 seats. There is a requirement to hold a majority government of 47 seats and at the time of printing, there were still 6 seats yet to be decided across NSW.
In the electorates of Orange and Cootamundra, both of which the town of Canowindra sits in, MP Phil Donato retained his seat as an independant and MP Steph Cooke held her seat with the National Party.
Mr Donato, won the Orange electorate comfortably and had this to say to the electorate. “I am truly humbled and honoured to be re-elected as the State Member for Orange. The level of support from the community I received was amazing. Being your local state representative is a responsibility and commitment I take seriously to represent this beautiful part of NSW and its people for another term.
“I would also like to thank all my supporters, and the hundreds of volunteers who helped across the electorate last weekend. It was a mammoth effort, of which I am sincerely appreciative.
Ms Cooke said she was deeply humbled by the results so far. “It is an honour to serve, and to have had the support of the Cootamundra electorate over the past five and a half years,” she said.
“I look forward to continuing my work on behalf of our small communities over the coming term.”
She bucked the trend on what was a poor outcome at the election for the Liberal and Nationals parties, losing government comfortably to the Chris Minns-led Labor Party, which will take power for the first time since losing the 2011 election.