Joe McGirr officially returned as member for Wagga gaining 72.39 per cent of the vote

The NSW Electoral Commission made it official just after 5pm yesterday, three weeks on from the state going to the polls.

Dr McGirr won by a "quite extraordinary" margin in gaining 72.39 per cent of the vote, after the distribution of preferences were tallied on Thursday.

"I'm quite humbled and honoured about being re-elected," he said.

"And there was a swing, on the two-party preferred, of almost 7 per cent, I think, which is quite extraordinary, particularly given it was a three-cornered contest."

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Nationals candidate Andriann Benjamin was confirmed in second place, taking 27.61 per cent of the total vote after preferences.

The numbers confirm what has been known for weeks, but the size of the victory in spite of the breadth of candidates indicates that Dr McGirr and independents are favoured by Wagga voters. His first preference votes remained steady despite the three-corned contest, attracting 99 more votes compared to 2019.

But his margin after preferences increased from 65.47 per cent in 2019.

Dr McGirr was elected after the fourth round of preference counting, followed by Ms Benjamin, Labor's Keryn Foley, Liberal Julia Ham, Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party's Chris Smith, Greens Ray Goodlass and Public Education Party candidate Ray Gentles, who was excluded after the first count.

'Good luck to him'

Ms Benjamin yesterday said she was proud of her run despite not taking the seat for her party.

"I wish Joe all the best of luck," she said.

Ms Benjamin would not concede, as her Liberal counterparts had done in the days after the election, that Dr McGirr won because he has been an effective representative for the electorate.

"I get along with him. He's a nice bloke, but at the end of the day there is a lot of work to be done in that electorate," she said.

"What Joe really needs to do is he needs to be really strong and powerful in what he's actually wanting to achieve and to actually get in there and fight for our electorate because we deserve better."

She is eager to see movement on the Gobbagombalin Bridge duplication and local roads.

Crossbench key for Labor: McGirr

Dr McGirr said the result for independents was indicative of a nationwide trend away from the major parties, one he thinks could continue.

"The amount of votes that did not go to major parties is pretty significant," he said.

"I think that highlights the fact that people are having increasing confidence in a government that has to work with a crossbench.

"So long as we continue to work constructively for our communities and with the government ... that's why [independents] get elected because people are sick of the party politics."

His focus is now on "the next four years and building a constructive relationship with the ALP".

Three weeks in, he sees signs that this could be a productive government despite the "complex process" of settling into parliament and setting an agenda. He has been pleased to see new ministers visit the regions, their early work banning phones from schools and the potential move on nurse to patient ratios in emergency departments.

"[Chris Minns has] implemented the mobile phones policy, they've announced the issue with ratios, I think they're doing well," he said.

"They're getting in and they want to make a difference. They clearly want to set the groundwork so they're not a one term-government."

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