While the hopes of some other Hunter mayoral candidates hung in the balance, Lake Macquarie's newly elected mayor Adam Shultz spent a relaxed Sunday with his young family.
Councillor Shultz, who takes over from Kay Fraser, held 35.8 per cent of the vote, or 27,245 votes on Saturday night, followed by Lake Mac Independents candidate Kate Warner and Liberal candidate Melody Harding.
The foundation for the victory was laid with his preselection in March following Cr Fraser's decision to retire.
"We just did the work over a consistent period of time," Cr Shultz, who has previously served as deputy mayor of Lake Macquarie from 2022-23, and as a Labor East Ward councillor since 2016," said.
"Obviously with Kay retiring and giving us a six month lead time and it gave me an opportunity to get to know people a little bit more than simply as a councillor for the past eight years.
"I think they looked at me and said 'he's done the job before he can hit the ground running. He's a safe pair of hands, and let's give him a go'."
Cr Shultz said the result would not have been possible without a sustained effort by the Labor team over a 20-week period.
"To put yourself forward for public office is one thing in a winnable spot, but the threes and the fours do a lot of the legwork as well. Our success is a testament to their dedication," he said.
He listed the expansion of Hunter Sports Centre at Glendale, the reconstruction of Awaba House at Booragul, and housing affordability among his short term priorities.
"I'd like to have a housing forum in the not too distant future that will bring together affordable housing providers, the development industry, unions and civil society organisations," he said.
"I'd like to thrash out how we in Lake Macquarie can differentiate ourselves from the other 127 local government areas in the state."
Strategic urban infill also loomed as a major issue for the next four years. This work would be based around the city's five Transport Oriented Development (TOD) Precincts at Cardiff, Cockle Creek, Morisset, Booragul and Teralba.
"It's a combination of areas that we need to look at and see what works for Lake Macquarie and see how we can all work together be it the state, federal or local government to make sure we are singing from the same song sheet," he said.
