Big issues " were ignored "

GREENS candidate Ben van der Wijngaart has a message for Matt Brown and the Labor Party: don"t stuff it up this time.

Speaking on election night at his Kiama home, Mr van der Wijngaart said the Greens believed Labor didn"t deserve its win.

"I think they"ve lucked it in," he said. "It has nothing to do with what Labor"s done; it"s a lot to do with the poor opposition they"ve had.

"I"d say to Matt (Brown) that really it"s not about the politics, it"s about the issues.

"Rather than resting on his laurels, if he thinks it"s a 10 per cent victory, that"s fine (but) he should see that as a grand opportunity for the rest of the government to make a significant shift, to be bold enough with that majority to make some moves for change rather than, as I dread to think, it will be more of the same."

He said Mr Brown, and his party, had no reason to gloat.

"I would like to think Labor has learnt something from the campaign in terms of what the people are really upset about, about services, and that their slogan about we"re making progress in the right direction isn"t just a slogan," he said.

"People will expect in the next four years to see something dramatically to happen or else they (the Labor Party) will lose all credibility."

Mr van der Wijngaart was pleased with his result, saying he believed he"d picked up votes compared to the previous election.

However, he was disappointed that the "big" issues , particularly the environment , weren"t focused on.

"It"s been business as usual for the main parties: same old election promises, same sort of policies being passed out, when I would have expected to see a bit of leadership," he said.

"The Libs have picked up bits and pieces of our policies on water, which is good, but the big understanding of how to go about facing the crisis that"s facing us is going to continue after the election.

"There are many issues in relation to the environment and the issues we"ve raised: Bombaderry Creek, there"s the issue of water from Kangaloon, there"s the issue of water from the Shoalhaven, the extension of the sand mine and the Shellharbour marina, all those sorts of things."

Mr van der Wijngaart said the Iemma Government needed to shift emphasis from tunnels under the city, and from freeways, to public transport, to services to people where they needed it.

"These are important things," he said. "They"re important to show a mind shift in terms of their understanding that life can"t go on as it has been."

Despite the seriousness of polling day though, Mr van der Wijngaart said there were some lighter moments.

"The funniest moment was my father going to the polling station, going up to the registration and being asked his name," he said

"He said, "van der Wijngaart", and the guy said at the desk, "no, I don"t want to know who you"re voting for, give me your name".

"He said, "van der Wijngaart". He said, "no, we"ll come to that later. What"s your name?"."

The confusion eventually was sorted out and Mr van der Wijngaart senior got to cast his vote.