The Liberal Party won’t be contesting the Wollongong City Council byelection.
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Parliamentary secretary for the Illawarra Gareth Ward confirmed on Wednesday night the ballot for the Ward 3 byelection – sparked by the resignation of Labor councillor Chris Connor – would be sans a Liberal candidate.
Cr Connor resigned earlier this month, after finding it too difficult to properly represent his constituents from his new home in Tamworth.
In December, just a couple of months after being elected, he accepted a job as the principal of Tamworth Public School.
He stayed on as a Wollongong councillor and at the time was adamant his ability to represent the residents of Dapto, Port Kembla, Berkeley and Warrawong wouldn’t change.
Cr Connor’s resignation will be effective from the end of September. The byelection will be held on November 24.
“The reality is this byelection is happening because Chris Connor made a career choice,” Mr Ward said.
“He knew that he was going to be transferred prior to the last election, yet he still chose to stand as a Wollongong councillor – this is Labor’s mess, they can clean it up.”
The Liberals’ decision not to contest would come as no surprise to many. The party did not have a candidate in the 2016 Wollongong byelection, which was won by Labor’s Paul Scully.
“I guess they don’t want to try and defend their lack of achievement on Wollongong Council either,” Mr Scully wrote on Twitter on Wednesday night.
Mr Ward said “what should come as a surprise to people is … having to go back to the polls” because of Cr Connor.
“He’s spent no time in Wollongong; he’s been doing linedancing in Tamworth ... and picking up a ratepayer-funded stipendium, all the while he knew he would be making a career change to Tamworth,” he said.
“If people want to reward that behaviour that’s a matter for them but this is Labor’s mess, they can clean it up and explain to the electorate why they’re having to go back to a byelection, and pay for a byelection, because a Labor councillor is making a career choice.”
Earlier this month, Wollongong lord mayor Gordon Bradbery said he did not know if Cr Connor had been aware that he may take up a new job when he was elected last September.
However, Cr Bradbery said he believed running for council was “a commitment to the city”, which councillors should stick out for a full term.
Prior to Cr Connor’s resignation, six of the Wollongong’s 13 councillors were Labor – two in each of the council’s three wards. The other councillors are Liberal (three), Green (two) and independent (two).
From the time the resignation comes into effect until the byelection is finalised, Ward 3 – the council’s southernmost ward – will be represented by councillors Dom Figiliomeni (Independent), Vicky King (Labor) and Cameron Walters (Liberal).
Asked if the byelection presented an opportunity for the Liberals to get an extra voice on the council, Mr Ward would only say: “I think that we have an excellent Ward 3 representative in Cameron Walters; he does a tremendous job, he’s incredibly energetic and hardworking.”
Andrew Pearson
Andrew grew up in the western Riverina town of Hay and has strong ties to the region. He is a former DA journo who has a passion for breaking news and has covered everything from council and politics to crime and court.
Andrew grew up in the western Riverina town of Hay and has strong ties to the region. He is a former DA journo who has a passion for breaking news and has covered everything from council and politics to crime and court.
