Mr Baldwin has claimed victory, holding 51.57 per cent of the vote.

“As the member for Paterson I will continue to fight for my constituents, and will hold the Labor Party accountable for all of its promises in my electorate and the Hunter,” Mr Baldwin said.

Mr Baldwin has also been announced as the Opposition spokesperson for defence science, personnel and assisting Opposition spokesperson for defence.

Opposition leader Dr Brendan Nelson announced the appointment on Thursday as part of his new front bench.

“It is a privilege to serve the people of the Paterson electorate for another three years and now with a position in the Opposition front bench it is also a great opportunity for me to make a difference to the defence industry which is of great importance to this region,” Mr Baldwin said.

Mr Baldwin has said he will also continue to fight for better roads in Paterson, after Labor didn’t promise any money for them during the election campaign.

Mr Baldwin said he will continue to fight for the Tea Gardens flyover.

“Labor has failed to deliver for the Tea Gardens Flyover. The former Prime Minister John Howard announced up to $10 million to fund 50 per cent of the total cost of constructing a grade separated interchange at the intersection.

“Local residents in Tea Gardens Hawks Nest have concerns about volumes of traffic and motorists turning onto and off the Pacific Highway. Labor refuses to acknowledge it as a priority,” Mr Baldwin said.

Mr Baldwin said he ran for parliament because he wanted to create a future for all children and he wanted them to have opportunities and choices.

“We’ve come a long way under the Coalition, and whilst big improvements have been made, more needs to be done to cement those changes to guarantee that our children do have a future.

“Voters have sent a strong message during this Federal election and I’ll be working hard within the community to continue to listen to what their concerns are,” Mr Baldwin said.