Labor MP Kate Washington reflects on eight years in the Port Stephens seat as she campaigns for another four years

With the lack of a Liberal Party presence, Labor incumbent Kate Washington looks set to hold the seat, though the minor parties could pick up a percentage of the traditional Liberal voters.

Ms Washington came out of the gate strong in her fourth election campaign, vowing Labor would build a high school in Medowie, fix roads, support the Port's koalas and provide cash to the area's three support services should it win government on March 25.

"After 12 long years of this [Liberal] government we've got the cost of living skyrocketing, a housing crisis, health crisis and a massive teacher shortage. There is an enormous amount of work to do to make our community fairer for all," she said.

"As always, election campaigns are very challenging but I will never take our community for granted. I'll keep doing what I do, which is working hard for our community, and it will be up to the voters of Port Stephens to decide."

Port Stephens Liberal candidate Nathan Errington has denied the Examiner's request for an interview and not made one area specific pledge since he was revealed as the party's candidate on the day of nomination closures on March 8.

It is a stark difference to the 2019 state election.

Considered one of the most fiercely contested campaigns witnessed in Port Stephens, the 2019 election was dogged by accusations from both sides of politics of dirty tactics and saw then NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian visit numerous times to support candidate Jaimie Abbott in her bid to reclaim the seat.

It was a bid that failed, with Ms Washington winning the election with 55.75 per cent of the vote.

Ms Washington's journey into politics began with an issue that has been dubbed by the other side of politics as her "pet project" - the need for a public high school in Medowie.

It is a term she embraces "because the community still needs it".

Campaigning for the high school, she threw her hat into the ring in the 2011 state election but lost to the Liberals' Craig Baumann.

After the 2011 defeat, Ms Washington returned to being a lawyer. That gave her insight into what she believed were failings in the health system.

She also "got so cranky" about a string of government cutbacks, so she decided to step back into the political ring for the 2015 election. This time her bid was successful, swinging the Liberal seat to Labor.

She has held the seat since. And every election she has made the same pledge - if Labor is elected to government, the party will build a high school in Medowie. This election, Labor has committed $53 million for the high school.

"The area has grown massively. Everyone knows Medowie desperately needs a public high school, except the Liberals," Ms Washington said.

Ms Washington said it was "hard to believe" that she has now been in politics for eight years, seven of which she has been a shadow minister.

She is currently the shadow minister for family and community services and the shadow minister for disability inclusion.

"If I'm reelected I will be extraordinarily honoured and humbled to return as the member for Port Stephens," she said.

"Through the eight years, I've been in shadow cabinet for seven years and have had the ability to shape decisions at the highest level from opposition. I am hopeful that Labor can form government so that our community can have a voice at the table where the highest, most important decisions in the state are made.

"It's been extraordinarily frustrating to be in Opposition and watch the privatisation, pork-barrelling and broken promises that have paved the last 12 years of this government.

"Our community has really paid a big price with no new social housing here in over a decade and broken promises like the Fingal Bay Link Road, full duplication of Nelson Bay Road and a Medowie high school."

Despite being in Opposition, Ms Washington said she has had some "enormous wins" in Port Stephens in the past eight years.

She said her proudest achievement is the close and meaningful connections she has made in the community.

"I have proven that I will fight for our community. I've worked hard, done as I said I would do and what I hope that means is that people trust me."

Ms Washington said she is proud to have helped secure seed funding for the Port Stephens Koala Hospital in 2019 which has grown into a "world class facility".

Labor announced before the 2022 federal election that it would provide $3 million to extend the hospital and provide staff for a breeding program.

Ms Washington said she was proud to have delivered millions of dollars to sporting and community groups to fund the "good work that they do".

Other "core achievements" include the five year fight for the state government to buy back the Mambo Wetlands and stopping development at Fishermans Bay and protecting koala habitat.

"These were important wins from Opposition, backed by a powerful community," she said.

In addition to building a public high school in Medowie, Labor has pledged that if elected to government it will provide Port Stephens with:

Ms Washington said the cost of living, housing, the state of the roads and access to healthcare, including mental health, are the top issues voters are speaking with her about.

She said Labor has policies to tackle each of these issues.

For healthcare, Ms Washington said she would be seeking a review on the classification of Tomaree Community Hospital in a bid to address staffing and patient care issues.

In addition to making renting fairer by abolishing no-fault evictions, Ms Washington said if Labor was elected to government MPs would do everything they could to increase housing stock, including dedicating 30 per cent of any surplus government land to social and affordable housing.

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