On August 8, Gareth Ward’s unexpected resignation from parliament initiated a by-election scheduled for September 13. Premier Chris Minns has nominated Katelin McInerney, a policy and community advocate, as the Labor candidate for Kiama. Minns praised her commitment to community service, acknowledging the challenging landscape for Labor in this seat. McInerney previously contested the 2023 election, losing to Ward by a narrow margin of just over 2,300 votes.
Ward has represented Kiama since taking the seat from Labor in 2011 as a member of the Liberal Party. Despite facing serious legal issues, he retained his position as an independent. In light of the upcoming by-election, Minns described Labor’s chances as formidable, likening the effort to climbing “Everest.”
The Liberal Party has backed Shoalhaven City Councillor Serena Copley as its candidate for Kiama. Copley recognised the significant hurdles ahead, noting that the Liberal Party only garnered 12% of the vote in the last election. Nevertheless, she expressed determination to win and promised to advocate for the people of Kiama in the NSW parliament, insisting that Labor has not adequately served the region, which has serious implications for local families and businesses.
Additionally, local businesswoman Kate Dezarnaulds is running as an independent candidate. In a related turn of events, Ward resigned after losing a legal bid to prevent his expulsion from parliament — a move that marked a historic occasion, being the first expulsion of its kind in 107 years. Ward faces serious legal ramifications following his conviction in July for sexual offences involving two young men, along with pending sentencing for an additional assault. While he remains eligible to run in the upcoming by-election, his current legal circumstances cast doubt on this possibility.
Overall, the Kiama by-election is set to be contentious, with both major parties keen to claim this battleground while independent candidates add further complexity to the race.