▁had ▁end ors ed ▁for ▁a ▁by - e lection ▁in ▁the ▁federal ▁seat ▁of ▁C unning ham ; ▁in ▁a ▁shock ▁result , ▁Green ▁candidate ▁Michael ▁Organ ▁won ▁the ▁seat ▁after ▁a ▁dis astr ous ▁Labor ▁campaign . ▁ ▁Mark ham ▁received ▁a ▁late ▁end ors ement ▁from ▁Premier ▁Bob ▁Car r ▁ahead ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁pr ese lection ▁vote , ▁but ▁this ▁was ▁not ▁enough ▁to ▁s way ▁the ▁right - domin ated ▁pr ese lect ors , ▁who ▁voted ▁for ▁N ore en ▁Hay , ▁a ▁local ▁left ▁fa ction ▁figure ▁who ▁defect ed ▁to ▁the ▁right ▁soon ▁after . ▁He ▁retired ▁at ▁the ▁election ▁rather ▁than ▁run ▁as ▁an ▁independent , ▁and ▁Hay ▁held ▁the ▁seat , ▁al beit ▁with ▁a ▁ 1 3 % ▁swing ▁against ▁her . ▁T ick ets ▁to ▁his ▁fare well ▁dinner ▁at ▁the ▁W IN ▁Entertainment ▁Centre ▁sold ▁out ▁five ▁days ▁before ▁it ▁was ▁held . ▁ ▁Community ▁invol vement ▁ ▁Since ▁leaving ▁politics , ▁Mark ham ▁has ▁maintained ▁his ▁interest ▁in ▁ab original ▁affairs , ▁having ▁previously ▁served ▁as ▁an ▁Executive ▁Member , ▁Deput y ▁Chair person , ▁and ▁now ▁Amb assador ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁South ▁Wales ▁Re con c ili ation ▁Council . ▁He ▁holds ▁a ▁strong ▁interest ▁in ▁rugby ▁league ▁and ▁is ▁a ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁Il la war ra ▁Ste el ers ▁Board ▁and ▁Gold ▁Foundation ▁Member ▁of ▁the ▁Il la war ra ▁Ste el ers ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁previously ▁serving ▁as ▁Chair man ▁of