Tag: NSW politics

Serena Copley has Strong Roots in the Community, and a Focus on Small Business and Youth

  • Serena Copley, the Liberal candidate for the Kiama by-election, speaks of herself as someone shaped by deep community roots and a lifetime of civic involvement. She has lived in the Shoalhaven since 1989, raised her family there, and now counts four generations living in postcode 2541. Her children were educated locally and her grandson was born in the region.

“My roots run deep and my dedication to this community is enduring,” she told me.

For the past 14 years Serena has worked as a trainer and assessor in the vocational education sector. It is work she describes as “extraordinarily rewarding,” training unemployed young people and helping them build life skills and confidence, while also working with local businesses through traineeship programs. She sees this as a natural extension into politics:

“It’s about working with people and helping people solve their problems and making our community stronger.”

Youth issues are central to her story. Serena speaks with conviction about the young people she has trained who have discovered confidence and purpose.

“It’s about reminding them that they are valuable and have something to contribute,” she said. “When you see someone realise their own worth, it’s inspiring. They are our future.”

On small business, Serena is unequivocal: “It’s the engine room of our economy.” She believes that when small business thrives, whole communities thrive too. “Small business people are the ones who sponsor the footy jerseys, support the local charities, and keep our towns vibrant. A strong small business sector means strong, connected communities.”

“Small business is the engine room of our economy. When it thrives, communities thrive too.”

Growth, she acknowledges, is part of every community’s story, and she believes Kiama can embrace it in a way that strengthens what is unique about the South Coast.

“How we grow is a choice,” she said. “We can choose growth that is responsible, sustainable, and led by community values. We can choose development that comes with the right infrastructure, schools, parks, and services, so new families are well supported, and our environment is respected.”

On political culture, Serena stresses respect.

“I can disagree forcefully and strongly, but not disrespectfully.” She believes voters are ready for politics that models collaboration, honesty, and listening. “What you’ll get is what you see. There’ll be times my parliament colleagues may not agree with me, but I’ll always do what I think is best for the community.”

Her years in local government have also shaped her views on accountability. As a Shoalhaven councillor, she pushed for council to streamline its operations before considering rate rises. For her, local government matters because its decisions are felt immediately and directly.

“When local government works well, the whole community benefits. It should be efficient, effective, and focused on people.”

In the end, she frames her candidacy as both personal and principled.

“This is not just a flash in the pan thing for me. This is a deep and abiding love of my community,” she said. “I will be the member for everybody whether you voted for me or not, because you are part of the community I care deeply about.”

#KiamaByElection2025 #SerenaCopley #KiamaVotes #CommunityFirst #SmallBusinessStrength #YouthOpportunity #ResponsibleGrowth #NSWPolitics

From State Government Talking Points to Cash-Flow Pressures: A Tale of Two Conversations

“Small business is the engine of our regional economy. If we fuel it properly, confidence and community will follow.”

Kiama By-Election Independent candidate Kate Dezarnaulds has written an op-ed about Monday’s Business Illawarra forum at Kiama Pavilion. She describes a striking contrast.

On one side, the Premier and Treasurer with their polished talking points about hospitals, schools, and long-term reforms.
On the other, small business owners raising the real and immediate pressures they are facing: spiralling insurance, high energy bills, housing shortages, unreliable trains, disappearing support programs.

Kate argues that this is exactly the gap we need to close, between “policy horizons” and the weekly cash-flow reality of the people who keep our communities running. She points to six practical shifts that could make a difference now: fixing insurance settings, lowering energy bills for business, building housing near jobs, reliable trains, tailored business support, and unlocking employment land.

Her message is simple. Small business is the engine of our regional economy. If we fuel it properly, confidence and community will follow.

#KiamaByElection2025 #SmallBusinessVoices #KiamaCommunity #BeyondTalkingPoints #NSWPolitics #LocalEconomy #BusinessReality #Kate Dezarnaulds

The Truth About Pork-Barrelling and Why It Fails the Pub Test.

Pork-barrelling isn’t new money, it’s political theatre and Kiama deserves more than staged announcements.

Major projects like schools, hospitals, transport, and sporting facilities are not launched randomly. They are pre-planned and locked into the NSW State Budget, which operates on a four-year cycle. Each year, an Appropriation Bill is passed in Parliament to authorise spending for the upcoming financial year, while forward estimates forecast funding for the next three years.

This means even if a party wins a by-election, they cannot rewrite those allocations mid-cycle, because budgets are legally set and must follow the budget process, except in urgent, unforeseen scenarios.

What changes is the timing of announcements, not the funding itself. Politicians often delay revealing already-budgeted projects until campaign season, especially in marginal seats. That creates the illusion of surprise investment when, in reality, it is not new money, just political theatre.

That is why this by-election needs more than Band-Aids. We cannot keep mistaking staged announcements for new investment, or allowing political theatre to distract from the deeper, structural issues that remain unaddressed.


#KiamaByElection2025 #KiamaVotes #BeyondPorkBarrelling #PoliticalTheatre #PolicyNotPromises #BigPictureThinking #CommunityFirst #NSWPolitics

Could Andrew Thaler actually deliver for Kiama?

If Andrew Thaler struggled to work collaboratively at Snowy Monaro Regional Council, how can Kiama voters trust that he will work effectively with other MPs in Macquarie Street?

The Kiama by-election is now one of the most hotly contested in recent memory, with a mix of male and female candidates across the spectrum.

Andrew Thaler, a Snowy Monaro councillor, is running as a combative, anti-establishment voice. He says he wants to reopen public lands, pause housing development, and push back on what he calls “woke” agendas.

But here’s the real issue: in NSW Parliament independents only achieve real outcomes when they hold the balance of power or work collaboratively with others.

Thaler has positioned himself as firmly against all the major parties, describing Labor, Liberal, and the Greens as part of the same “coalition.”

Right now, the established independents  – Alex Greenwich, Greg Piper, Joe McGirr, and Michael Regan  – are pragmatic and centrist. Thaler’s positions don’t naturally align with them, which could leave him isolated.

That means his impact would likely be symbolic, not legislative.

👉  Kiama voters need to decide whether they want a representative who can work constructively inside the system to deliver results, or a candidate whose influence is more about protest than progress.

Disclaimer: These views are my own opinions.

Mainstream media outlets have repeatedly questioned Andrew Thaler’s suitability for public office, describing him in the following terms:

2GB – Ben Fordham Live (13 Mar 2025)

Canberra CityNews (Aug 2025)

Australian Online News (18 Apr 2025)

Brisbane Times (2025 – aggregated)

ABC News (30 Jul 2025)

About Regional (31 Jul 2025)

#KiamaByElection2025 #KiamaVotes #IndependentPolitics #NSWPolitics #PopulistFactor #ElectionChoice #CommunityFirst #PolicyNotProtest

Make Your Vote Count – Thoughts on Andrew Thaler and the Populist Factor in Kiama

The Kiama by-election has already made history with an all-female field of declared candidates who have a real chance of being elected . Into that contest, a new name has emerged, Andrew Thaler, a Snowy Monaro councillor who has built a reputation for being outspoken, controversial, and often combative.

In a profile published in The Bugle, Thaler presented himself as a married father of five, a small businessman of 30 years, and an independent voice offering “fair, genuine Independent representation, with a strong desire to return lost rights and to re-open our public lands, beaches and forests for all to enjoy.” He described himself as “someone who knows the earth is round and the governments’ power is limited by the people.”

In contrast, comments he gave to the Sydney Morning Herald took a sharper turn. He was quoted saying he is the “perfect candidate to stop another woman from getting a seat in Macquarie Street,” and that “people are sick of the women and woke agenda.” Reports also noted his history of calling women “fat, bitches and cows” and referring to a female councillor as a “fat, dumb blonde.”

On paper, Thaler and I hold very different values. As a woman, I can see he is unlikely to be interested in my thoughts or experiences. What is clear, however, is that his rhetoric positions him firmly in the same territory as populist groups like One Nation. His focus is anti-“woke,” anti-establishment, and distrustful of institutions and regulation.

What impact do candidates like this have?

Kiama has seen before how late-entry candidates or smaller parties can shift the dynamics of a campaign. Fisher and Shooters, Family First, and others have at times attracted protest votes from people dissatisfied with the major parties.

The impact of such candidates usually falls into three categories:

  1. Diluting the primary vote. Even if they do not win, they can peel votes away from one or more of the leading candidates, making the outcome tighter.
  2. Shaping the debate. By raising emotive issues such as gender, land use, or “lost rights,” they can force other candidates to respond, distracting from core policy questions.
  3. Preferences under NSW’s system. In a state by-election, optional preferential voting applies. Voters can number just one box, or add preferences. This means minor candidates do not automatically funnel their votes to the majors, but they can still have an impact. If their supporters allocate preferences, those flows can be decisive in a close race.

This by-election is about more than one candidate or one party promise. It is about the kind of representation Kiama deserves. Let’s keep the focus on ideas that build community strength, equality, and long-term solutions — and make sure our votes reflect those values.

Don’t throw your vote away. I understand why people are disillusioned.  I am too. But we need to believe that we can effect real change. If we vote for candidates who have a real chance of being elected, we can be part of that change.

The Kiama by-election has already made history with an all-female field of candidates offering a range of perspectives and solutions. Into that race, Andrew Thaler has stepped forward with rhetoric that is openly dismissive of women and framed in populist, anti-establishment terms.

We’ve seen before how late-entry candidates and minor parties can shift the debate, peel votes away from serious contenders, and distract from the big issues. Even without winning, they can dilute the primary vote and shape outcomes through preferences.

This election is too important to let that happen. Let’s keep the focus on candidates with constructive ideas for Kiama’s future – housing, cost of living, youth opportunity, and the health of our environment. Our community deserves leaders who want to build us up, not divide us.

Your vote matters. Let’s make it count.

Mainstream media outlets have repeatedly questioned Andrew Thaler’s suitability for public office, describing him in the following terms:

2GB – Ben Fordham Live (13 Mar 2025)

Canberra CityNews (Aug 2025)

Australian Online News (18 Apr 2025)

Brisbane Times (2025 – aggregated)

ABC News (30 Jul 2025)

About Regional (31 Jul 2025)

#KiamaByElection2025 #AndrewThaler #Populism #PopulistFactor #NSWPolitics #KiamaVotes #IndependentPolitics #ElectionDynamics

 

How a 2000 Fix for One MP Is Now Protecting Gareth Ward from Expulsion

In recent weeks, many people have asked why the NSW Constitution allows a convicted Member of Parliament to stay in office while they appeal their case. The short answer is: because of a law change in the year 2000.

And here’s the story behind it.

The change was triggered by the case of Phillip Smiles, a former NSW Liberal MP and Assistant Treasurer who was convicted of tax evasion in the 1990s. Smiles resigned from Parliament after being found guilty of falsely claiming his nanny as a tax deduction. But on appeal, his conviction was overturned.

By the time that happened, his political career was over. His seat had been vacated. A by-election had been held. And he had lost his pension and entitlements.

That outcome caused a major stir. It felt unfair, both to Smiles, who had been legally cleared, and to his electorate, which had lost its elected representative over a conviction that didn’t stick.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) looked into the case and found no evidence of corruption, but did highlight a serious problem: the law wasn’t clear on what exactly “conviction” meant under section 13A of the Constitution Act. Was it the jury verdict? Was it after sentencing? Or did it only count once all appeals were exhausted?

ICAC and a Parliamentary Committee both recommended change. They called for a clearer, more precise definition that would protect MPs and voters from being punished for convictions that might not stand.

So in 2000, the NSW Government amended the Constitution. The change meant that a conviction would only count, for the purpose of disqualifying an MP, once the appeals process had concluded. This would stop someone from being wrongly removed if their conviction was later overturned.

It was, at the time, seen as a fix. A safeguard against what happened to Phillip Smiles.

But now we are seeing the downside.

Because of that 2000 amendment, a person found guilty of serious criminal offences, remanded in custody, and serving time in jail, can still hold office, draw a salary, and access entitlements, all while appealing their case.

It’s a loophole that was meant to protect fairness. But now, it’s protecting power.

And that’s why so many of us are calling for reform again. It’s time to respect the original intent of the law, to preserve justice, while ensuring Parliament isn’t held hostage by someone who has been convicted of serious crimes and remanded in custody.

The law was changed for good reasons. But the unintended consequences now demand action.

Further Reading

You can download and review the official “Constitution Amendment Bill 2000 — Explanatory Note” for the Constitution Amendment Bill 2000, which clearly outlines the reasons for the change and how it redefined “conviction” in the Constitution

 Why Gareth Ward’s challenge to the power to expel him from the NSW parliament failed

#NSWPolitics #ConstitutionReform #PhillipSmilesCase #Section13A #PublicAccountability #DemocracyMatters #AppealLoophole #IntegrityInOffice #DisqualificationDelay

Gareth Ward Wants Taxpayers to Fund His Appeal – This Is Unconscionable Conduct

Lawyers for convicted rapist MP Gareth Ward have sought an injunction to stop him being expelled from Parliament.

As a result, he remains, for now,  the sitting Member for Kiama, while held in custody at Silverwater Jail.

This is not a technicality. This is not a procedural hiccup. This is unconscionable conduct.

A man convicted of serious sexual offences should not be representing any community from behind bars. And yet, here we are.

Let’s be honest about what’s happening. I do not believe Gareth Ward is doing this because he thinks he can carry out the duties of a Member of Parliament from a maximum-security prison. I believe his entire reason for holding on to his seat is so that he can access public funding to cover the cost of his appeal.

It is about protecting his entitlements. It is about staying on the payroll. It is about using the system, not serving the people.

If I am wrong, then let him explain how he plans to do the job. Let him show us how he will meet with constituents, attend community events, vote in Parliament, and represent the people of Kiama, all while being held in custody.

There’s a name for what we’re seeing. It’s a kind of dissociative denial. The ability to disconnect from what you’ve done and still see yourself as the victim. Gareth Ward has been convicted of serious crimes, and yet he’s fighting to stay in Parliament. Not to represent his community, but to preserve his power and entitlements. That isn’t leadership. It’s delusion.

This situation should not be up for debate. It should not require legal games or political hesitation. A man who has been found guilty of sexual violence should not be sitting in Parliament , whether or not he plans to appeal. Being in jail and being in Parliament are not compatible roles.

The people of Kiama deserve representation. Real representation. Not a legal fiction.

 This is about the integrity of our institutions. It is about the message we send when we allow someone convicted of predatory crimes to retain a position of power, status, and influence.

Gareth Ward cannot represent this community from gaol.

And the fact that he is trying to do so should be a wake-up call to every voter, every politician, and every journalist watching this unfold.

It is time for Parliament to act.

#GarethWard #NSWPolitics #UnconscionableConduct #PublicAccountability #JusticeAndIntegrity #MPInCustody #NoRepresentationFromJail #TaxpayerMoneyMatters #KiamaDeservesBetter