The outcome of the Kiama by-election on 13 September will be decided by angry voters who are rightly aggrieved to be heading back to the polls.
It is early in the by-election campaign, yet one thing is clear: the women of this South Coast electorate are making it their mission to draw a line under (and through) the name of former, disgraced MP Gareth Ward. And they’re laser-focused on creating a brighter political future for the region.
The circumstances of Ward’s departure from parliament were grave, with his position becoming untenable following his conviction for sexual abuse last month. His resignation came only moments before the parliament was due to expel him, underscoring a refusal to accept accountability, even while sitting in jail.
Whilst it is difficult to find good news in such circumstances, Women for Election are pleased to see four strong, successful women contesting the by-election.
We especially applaud the major parties for all preselecting impressive female candidates.
The ALP’s Katelin McInerney, a former journalist, will recontest the seat that she ran for in 2023, losing to then-MP Gareth Ward by less than 700 votes. The Liberal party has selected Serena Copley, a former Shoalhaven City Councillor and Recruitment Manager, as their candidate. Meanwhile, the Greens have selected Dr Tonia Gray, the Professor of Education and former Shoalhaven City Councillor to be their candidate. Tonia also ran in 2023. In addition, successful Berry businesswoman, Kate Dezarnaulds, will run as a Community Independent.
Women for Election are thrilled to see the field is awash with qualified, passionate and community-minded women of all political persuasions, throwing their hat in the ring for the State Parliament! In our experience, women mobilise into politics at pace after harrowing news is raised about an incumbent.
What is unusual about this electorate?
The Kiama electorate has a fascinating history – created in 1859 and abolished in 1904 when the NSW Parliament was downsized following federation. It was then re-established 44 years ago and has never been represented by a female MP.
In 2025 this will come to an end, and it’s noticeable that the electorate is at odds with the broader political representation across the Illawarra and South Coast region.
At the federal level, Fiona Phillips has served as the Federal Member for Gilmore since 2019, which takes in most of the Kiama electorate. Meanwhile, Minister Kristy McBain has represented the adjacent, bellwether electorate of Eden-Monaro since 2020.
At the local government level, women councillors make up the majority of Kiama Municipal Council and Shoalhaven City Council. These include Deputy Mayor Melissa Mathers on Kiama Council and Mayor Patricia White on Shoalhaven. Shellharbour City Council also has a female Deputy Mayor in Kellie Marsh albeit only 2 of 9 Councillors are women. Finally, the City of Wollongong is led by Lord Mayor Tania Brown and is nearing gender parity with 5 out of 12 women Councillors.
Why are by-elections so important for diverse representation?
In the lead-up to a standard general election, all electorates are hit with a sustained period of political advertising and commentary that can leave many people overwhelmed, with some even disengaging from the process. This leads to a level of voter apathy that’s rarely seen in by-elections. Why? Because by-elections get the focused attention of the state or nation, including from political party resourcing and messaging. The electorate is typically highly engaged due to the unexpected circumstances of a by-election, such as an incumbent standing down in spurious circumstances or the sudden death of an MP.
Consequently, a by-election provides a heightened opportunity for new, and different, candidates to be elected. In the last year, we’ve seen some exciting outcomes for women in NSW by-elections: this includes Monica Tudehope and Jacqui Scruby as the first female members for the state electorates of Epping and Pittwater, respectively. Meanwhile, in Victoria, Mary Doyle was elected as the first female MP for the Federal seat of Aston in a by-election in 2023.
Which is why Women for Election encourages all women to join our candidate training events, even if they’re not planning to run for 10 years. Because you never know when that next by-election is around the corner, and it’s best to gather your knowledge now – because timing is everything!
While the circumstances leading to the Kiama by-election are deeply regrettable, we’re focused on the positives that will come from voters heading to the polls on 13 September: a NSW Parliament more representative of the population it governs and refreshed political representation for the people of the Kiama electorate.
Feature image: The candidates for the Kiama by-election. Katelin McInerney (top left), Serena Copley (top right), Dr Tonia Gray (bottom left) and Kate Dezarnaulds (bottom right).