0°C | Sunday February 1, 2026 
27 March 2023
North Shore MP Felicity Wilson has won a stunning victory, withstanding the tide against Liberals across the state with a 44% primary vote. With the bulk of prepolls and postal votes yet to be counted, this vote could be expected to rise to around 46%: effectively the same as what she recorded in the prior 2019 election.
With around 30,000 of 56,000 potential votes counted, the Liberals are on 44%, Teal-linked independent Helen Conway on 22%, Labor’s Godfrey Santer on 17% and the Greens’ James Mullan on 11%. The independent candidate Victoria Walker and the minor parties – SAP and IMOP – all scored around 2% each.
At the 2019 election, the Liberals scored 46.6% of primaries, the Mosman mayoral independent Carolyn Corrigan 20%, Labor 12%, Greens 11% and minor candidates a collective 10%.
Returns from Saturday suggest Wilson did best in the eastern half of North Shore across Mosman while Conway and Santer were stronger in the western half of the electorate. Santer outpolled Conway in 8 out of 28 polling locations. Wilson topped the vote in every single one.
“A very exciting result for me, and it really just demonstrates that when you work very closely with the community and deliver outcomes and reflect their interests you can have a positive result,” she said.
“I think one of the clearest outcomes in messages for us is I think Dominic Perrottet and Matt Kean worked incredibly hard as leaders of our party. They worked in unison to make sure that we were leading our country in the policies we delivered, particularly around actual climate change or renewables. And it shows that the Liberal Party can hold our heartland seats when we make sure we deliver good mainstream policies that make a difference across our community.”
Asked about a Climate 200 endorsed brochure circulating in the electorate that labelled her as ‘Duplicity Wilson’, she said: “My job as the member for North Shore has been one of working with my community, always being respectful of people and respectful of difference, listening and engaging. And I don’t think that type of politics that was demonstrated in this campaign by other people is welcomed in our community. I think there is an expectation of respect and decency and listening and engaging. So there may have been a blow back to that. But I actually think more than that, we’ve seen the recognition of the delivery we’ve had in our community and making sure that we deliver on the types of issues and policies and interests of a community like North Shore.”
She also had a final message: “And can I just say I really want to say that as a younger woman and as a mom of a two year old and a four year old, I just want to say I want to see more women like me … come into our parliament, mums can do it, we can do anything and we often have to do everything. So make sure that if you’re interested in politics, you sign up, you join up, you get involved. We want you, particularly in the Liberal Party. So I hope this is a clarion call for more people to get involved.”
Wilson’s strong result even surprised her own party insiders who had been bracing for a 5% to 10% fall in primary vote.
Rivals have congratulated her. Labor’s Santer said “On behalf of North Shore Labor, I would like to warmly congratulate Felicity Wilson on her emphatic re-election in the seat of North Shore. Felicity has consistently worked hard to secure substantial upgrades to our local schools and facilities. We send her our sincere best wishes and hope for a successful further term in representing our community.” The Greens’ Mullan said: “I would like to congratulate Felicity Wilson MP on her reelection. She is a kind and hardworking person whom I wish nothing but the best for.”