Re-elected Perth MP Patrick Gorman with wife Jess and son Leo.
Camera IconRe-elected Perth MP Patrick Gorman with wife Jess and son Leo. Credit: Supplied/Supplied.

Labor’s Patrick Gorman grateful to be part of ‘rebuilding project’

Jessica WarrinerEastern Reporter

LABOR’S Patrick Gorman has held on to the seat of Perth with a small swing to the party after preferences.

On Monday Mr Gorman said he was looking forward to being a louder voice in parliament this time around, after first taking the seat 10 months ago in a by-election.

“I’ve never been shy about saying that over time I have ambitions to contribute more to national policy debates – that’s a conversation I’ll have with colleagues over coming days,” he said.

PerthNow Digital Edition.
Your local paper, whenever you want it.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

“I’m grateful to be part of the project to rebuild the Labor party federally.”

The Perth MP said the party needed to take stock after Saturday’s result.

“When we look nationally, of course I’m very sad for some of my Labor colleagues I won’t see in a few weeks when we return to Canberra,” Mr Gorman said.

“It’s tough when you see people put themselves forward and lose.”

Mr Gorman said he appreciated the way everyone in the Perth race had conducted themselves, particularly the Greens’ Caroline Perks and Liberal Jim Grayden.

He said his team had run a “very locally focused campaign” and had been vindicated in how people responded.

“The community had a good look at me over the last nine months and chose to re-endorse me,” he said.

“As a West Australian, it’s a privilege to represent our capital of Perth.”

As of Monday morning, almost 72 per cent of votes for Perth had been counted, with absent, provisional, pre-poll and postal votes yet to be tallied.