“Back then, I thought I was going to win and nearly didn’t because I was naïve,” Ms Goward said.

“This time, I didn’t think I was going to win and did. It was hard work, our campaign budget was a fraction that of Labor’s and we had new areas in which to campaign, such as Yass, which was hard to penetrate.”

“I have learnt a lot and people, especially many women, have been very encouraging.”

She said she wasn’t going to speculate on whether she would retain the Planning Ministry but confided that it and her former portfolio of community services were “two extremely difficult” positions.

When asked if she feared for her seat, she revealed: “I had been looking for other jobs, yes.”

“I knew I was in for a fight. Ursula put in a fantastic campaign,” she said.

“The thing about her campaign which struck me most was that she did not look like a Goulburn candidate … she was the girl from Goulburn, promoting herself as the local.”

Ms Goward and the Dr Stephens went head to head in the Goulburn and Yass booths.

But the incumbent overwhelmed the former federal senator in the Wingecarrribee Shire sector and the villages.

On Saturday night – excluding pre-poll and postal votes – Ms Goward had secured 14,679 primary votes to Dr Stephens’ 10,043.

With 45 of the 46 polling booths counted, Ms Goward won 57.3 per cent (15,487 votes) after preferences to Dr Stephens’ 42.7pc (11,526).

Ms Goward said yesterday that, according to her scrutineers, she had won the Yass pre-poll count 1057 to 996 and the Goulburn pre-poll 3346 to 3045.

Ms Goward vowed the next four years will be an exciting time to live in Goulburn.

“It’s a wonderful privilege to be part of this government serving Goulburn,” she said.

“I have never underestimated this community and have never stopped learning about it.

“These next four years will be a great time for the City. We’ll get this hospital up, we’ll get that walking track done and I’ll be working to see that rail services are improved and, of course TAFE.”