The NSW Liberal Party’s local government candidate nomination debacle will mean Penrith’s Deputy Mayor – a 20-year veteran of the council – will not contest next month’s elections.
Councillor Mark Davies (pictured, above) is currently serving his first term as Deputy Mayor, after being elected to the role at the September 2023 Ordinary Meeting of Council. The long-serving councillor was first elected in 2004 and also served as Mayor during 2012-13.
Along with Cr Davies, nominations for Liberal Penrith Councillors Bernard Bratusa, Mark Rusev and Marlene Shipley were also not lodged by the Liberal Party state office.
The lodgement failure has left voters without Liberal candidates in the South and East Wards of Penrith.
In the city’s East Ward, Labor is now the only group on the official ballot paper – meaning all five of current Mayor, Todd Carney’s ticket will be elected.
Blue Mountains Liberal Councillors are in similar strife, with first-term Councillor Roza Sage to lose her spot, while the hopes of first time candidate, Kieran Best (pictured below with Cr Sage), have been dashed, leaving the Council completely void of Liberal Party representatives.
In a statement, the Blue Mountains Liberals said, “The last 24 hours have been confusing, disappointing, sad and angering for many.
“Our Local Government Candidate teams across all Wards in the Blue Mountains were organised, ready and, in all cases, already out in the field campaigning for our communities, even while early yesterday afternoon it became apparent there had been a catastrophic failure.
“As a team, as Liberals, and as residents of the Blue Mountains, we are heartbroken that our opportunity to represent you has been taken away from us. There will be due process internally on the administrative failures that have robbed us of our chance to stand on September 14th, and for that reason we will not comment specifically on the issue or cast blame.
“All we will say is; we were ready to serve, and we will continue to fight as residents to ensure the Blue Mountains remains the best place to live, work and raise a family. Thank you to our many friends and colleagues for your messages of support, they are well received and mean a lot.
“To our candidate teams, party members, supporters and the community more broadly, we wholeheartedly apologise that your democratic right to choose your local representative has been taken from you. We continue to stand WITH you, even if not FOR you on this particular occasion.”
