Marianne Saliba risks being drummed out of the Labor Party over her decision to contest the Ward A election.
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The former Shellharbour Mayor has chosen to run in the Ward A election, which has been restaged due to faults with iVote machines at the December local council elections.
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However, Labor already has a candidate in the ward; Maree Edwards who was declared a winner in December and is able to remain on council until this election.
That means Ms Saliba is running as an independent against an endorsed Labor candidate, something the party takes a dim view of indeed.
If someone lays what is called a "charge" against her and an independent committee finds it proven, she could have her membership suspended for a period of time.
Or, at the extreme end, she could be expelled from the party.
Ms Saliba, who also held the state seat of Illawarra for Labor from 1999 to 2007, was content to let the chips fall where they may.
"I've given 32 years of my life for the Labor Party - not just being a member I have worked for them for 32 years," Ms Saliba said.
"I'm comfortable with the decisions that I'm making and with the actions that I'm taking."
Ms Saliba said she has contacted the party to inform them of her intentions and had no desire to see them disendorse Cr Edwards in favour of her.
She said she also spoke to Cr Edwards about a preference deal; but the sitting councillor declined.
Meanwhile, Cr Rob Petreski has released a statement following Ms Saliba's allegations of bullying during the pre-selection process.
"With reference to any allegations of the bullying, harassing, or intimidating of former Labor Mayor Marianne Saliba, I categorically deny these allegations," Cr Petreski said.
If she ran as an independent he said "her future within the party will be determined by the NSW ALP Executive".
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Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
