A PARTNER in a Newcastle legal firm and former Albury High School student, Kate Washington, has had a landslide victory in the seat of Port Stephens.
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Ms Washington, 44, achieved a 19 per cent swing in her second attempt at winning the seat.
She defeated Liberal candidate Ken Jordan, who became candidate after former Port Stephens mayor Craig Baumann stepped down following ICAC scrutiny concerning his time as mayor.
“We worked hard to achieve what we did. We are delighted,” an elated Ms Washington said yesterday.
Her Albury parents, Bert and Leslie Washington, have been helping her for the past month in the lead-up to the election.
They have been putting up posters, handing out how-to-vote cards and helping care for their grandchildren — Phoebe, 14, Tess, 12, and Lily, 8.
Ms Washington attended school in Mulwala, Tumut and Albury.
She was at Albury High School for four years and did year 12 in 1988.
A small scholarship from former Albury law firm Tietyens helped with an arts and law course at Sydney University.
She is a partner in the legal practice of Catherine Henry Partners specialising in health and relationship law.
Ms Washington lives at Medowie, which has a population of about 8000 and is in the middle of the electorate near the Newcastle airport.
One of her campaign promises was a $40 million high school for the area.
Her brother Stuart, a former Border Mail journalist, is the Federal president of the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance.