Gilmore MP Ann Sudmalis’s decision to withdraw her nomination for preselection and not recontest the next federal election is the culmination of longstanding enmity between her and Kiama MP Gareth Ward.
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In a bid for preselection for the state seat of Kiama in April 2010, Mrs Sudmalis lost to then Shoalhaven councillor Mr Ward, who was backed by another Liberal Andrew Guile.
Then in April 2012, Mrs Sudmalis was preselected in a bitter contest between herself and Mr Guile, a member of the moderate faction.
Those preselection contests laid the groundwork for the ongoing hostility.
In the September 2013 election, which saw the Abbott government elected in a landslide, Gilmore actually bucked the trend, recording a swing away from the Coalition. This was remarkable in a seat that had been safe for the Coalition since 1996, when Mrs Sudmalis’s predecessor Joanna Gash was elected.
That swing away was strongest in booths that had traditionally been staunchly Liberal.
In a statement released on Monday, September 17, Mrs Sudmalis complained about undermining behaviour from a state colleague.
“Since the day of winning preselection in 2012, the local self-determined senior Liberal has been leaking damaging material to the media, holding publicity stunts that are completely against federal policy initiatives, and has overall been unfair and unethical,” she said.
“The final straw came when my supportive FEC committee at the AGM was completely rolled, installing people of inexperience and hostility.”
One of those “people of inexperience” was former staffer and well known local radio personality Adam Straney.
Curiously, Mrs Sudmalis’s statement was distributed to a number of news outlets but not the South Coast Register, which has published many stories about dissatisfaction within local Liberal Party branches.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in a statement: “I have today, through the Federal Director, requested the Federal Executive of the Liberal Party to consider how they will take steps to ensure there is a rigorous and confidential process to deal with concerns and complaints from party members, including Members of Parliament.”
Mr Morrison is facing a tough challenge in trying to smooth over the troubled waters of local party politics.
