'The people of Wollondilly have spoken': Independent candidate Judy Hannan

"It's been amazing, and it just really shows you what local people can do," Ms Hannan said.

"There are still some votes to be counted but at the moment I'm in the lead.

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"The people of Wollondilly have spoken; the community has spoken; and they don't want to be taken for granted, that's what it's all about," she said.

Ms Hannan said people don't want "massive developments with no infrastructure", which was the main issue raised by voters at local polling booths on Saturday.

"There were a lot of other issues too," Ms Hannan said.

"The roads are certainly an issue, and cost of living; Warragamba Dam; Bowral Hospital; high schools; the list goes on."

Ms Hannan's first taste of politics was was as a Liberal candidate in a by-election in the seat of Auburn in 2004.

"I had nothing to do with politics at all but I realised that if you stood up, sometimes you could get some really good things promised for your area," she said.

"I had to stand because we needed so much to be done and we were just being taken for granted; that was the driver. I looked around to try and find someone else to fill the position but realised that because I've been around for so long I was probably the only one that had a chance."

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However, she was "not expecting to get elected".

Ms Hannan's favourite quote comes from The Lorax by Dr. Seuss: "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot nothing's going to get better it's not."

"That's one of my favourite sayings because it's true," she said.

"If people don't stand up then you just get what your given and you really have no right then to complain."

Putting herself on display for the community has been a challenge.

"Normally I do a lot I just don't put it all on Facebook," Ms Hannan said.

"The ladies in Picton ran all of my social media. All of a sudden there was all of this stuff out there and it was almost embarrassing because it was just the stuff that I've always done."

On whether she was ready to be an elected member of State Parliament in 2023, Ms Hannan said: "I'm ready, but it won't just be me."

"It will be the whole community, we'll do it together. We'll brains trust it together - and not in a negative or whingey way - but we'll brains trust together, to see what we can get done," she said.

"People shouldn't take little areas for granted."

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