The NSW Liberals are reeling from the catastrophic failure to nominate more than 100 candidates in 16 councils for next month’s election. The fiasco, which opposition leader Mark Speakman described as “probably the worst act of mismanagement” in the state branch’s history, has effectively unseated 38 councillors and left whole communities without Liberal representation.
The Liberal Party failed to nominate a single candidate in seven councils, with a further nine partially affected. Analysis from psephologist Ben Raue, who runs The Tally Room blog, has shown approximately 132 candidates were left off the ballot for the September 14 poll.
Councils that will not have a single Liberal candidate are Blue Mountains, Campbelltown, Cessnock, Lane Cove, Northern Beaches, Shoalhaven and Wollongong.
The most significant casualty is the Northern Beaches Council, where the Liberals currently hold six seats and had planned to nominate 15 candidates. Deputy Mayor Georgia Ryburn, who was a likely candidate for mayor, said she had been left feeling “shocked, gutted, in disbelief”.
“I’m really devastated not just for the candidates, but also for our community who at this upcoming election won’t have a choice to vote Liberal,” Ryburn said on Thursday.
“On the northern beaches, the Liberals had the most votes. It’s important to our community that we are representative at the local government area.”
Northern Beaches Deputy Mayor Georgia Ryburn said the fiasco had left her feeling “shocked, gutted, in disbelief”.Credit: Steven Siewert
Lane Cove was also hit hard, with all nine nominations not lodged. Current Mayor Scott Bennison, who was a member of the Liberal Party before losing preselection in July to 22-year-old parliamentary staffer Rory Burke, dodged disaster after nominating as an independent before this week’s deadline.
The Blue Mountains and Wollongong votes have been narrowed to a Greens versus Labor contest, with independents serving as a third option.