‘I don’t want to let anyone down’, says Matt Cross
Davidson was comfortably retained by the Liberal Party, with Matt Cross gaining 63.6 per cent of votes.
Newly elected Davidson MP Matt Cross said, “I put myself forward because I believe in public service, so my feeling about being elected is one of gratitude, that thousands of people in the local community were prepared to put their faith in me.
“My first thought was that I don’t want to let anyone down.”
Davidson was comfortably retained by the Liberal Party, with Cross gaining 63.6 per cent of votes after preferences by midday on Tuesday, when 68 per cent of votes had been counted.
Although there was an 11.2 per cent swing to the ALP, whose candidate was Karyn Edelstein, Cross believes the main factor behind that was the retirement of his predecessor Jonathan O’Dea, who held the seat for 16 years. “On the campaign trail, so many people asked me about John – they had a lot of respect for him.”
Cross stressed that “regardless of which party was going to be elected into government, my aim was always to be a very strong, and approachable, representative for the people of Davidson, including its Jewish community”.
“Part of being in opposition now is to hold the government to account in delivering its promises, and I’m really glad [they] pledged to provide $5 million to the Sydney Jewish Museum.”
Cross said although only the coalition made an election promise to light up the Sydney Opera House in blue and white for Yom Ha’atzmaut, “I will be writing a letter to Premier Chris Minns, to urge him to consider [it] … because I feel Israel’s 75th anniversary is important to honour.”
Cross has been to Israel twice, and said he looks forward to visiting again “in my new capacity as an MP, within the next two years”.
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