Labor returns as a powerful force in Sutherland Shire

Sutherland Shire has been a "sea of blue" at both state and federal levels for even longer, but the tide has finally turned.

"The shire is ready for Labor," said Simon Earle, the Labor candidate for Miranda, who was given no chance of winning, but now finds himself in a neck and neck race with sitting Liberal Eleni Petinos.

There was a big swing to Labor in most of the shire.

Maryanne Stuart romped home in Heathcote and Mick Maroney, a Yarrawarrah resident, was in an extremely tight race for Holsworthy, which covers part of the Menai area.

Cronulla was the one bright light for the Liberal Party.

Mark Speakman was re-elected with 55 per cent of primary votes. The swing to Labor was less than five per cent.

Heathcote proved an outstanding win for Labor.

Ms Stuart's campaign manager believes she could win every polling booth and will have a margin of about 10 per cent going into the next election.

"I feel excited, relieved, proud," Ms Stuart told the Leader on Saturday night as her team celebrated at Tradies Helensburgh.

Ms Stuart said she wanted to be accessible and available to people - "I will have the door open, have the jug on".

Miranda is on a knife edge. Late on Monday, Ms Petinos was 71 votes ahead.

Sutherland Shire mayor Carmelo Pesce, who is on the Liberal Party's state executive, said, "At this stage we expect to hold Miranda".

"Postal votes will favour us. Eleni sent out 2000 postal votes with a letter, whereas I don't think Labor sent out any." A Labor source confirmed that was the case.

Going into the election, Ms Petinos had a margin of 14.4 per cent.

Several Liberal Party campaign volunteers who worked at Miranda polling booths, said voters punished their candidate over allegations she bullied staff, which led to her sacking from the ministry.

They said the issue was raised frequently by voters.

At polling booths in the Jannali-Como area, there was a particularly big swing against the Liberal Party, attributed to Ms Petinos' role in the government's attempted compulsory acquisition of nine homes at Jannali to build a commuter car park.