Trust in Independent Candidates on the Rise According to Teal Party Representative
The first “teal” independent candidate likely to enter NSW parliament, Jacqui Scruby, believes that voters are increasingly placing their trust in independent candidates supported by their local communities.
Scruby is on track to win the by-election for the Pittwater seat, with initial results showing a 6 percent swing against the Liberals, who are now relying on postal votes.
Both Labor and the Greens opted not to field candidates, with Scruby seemingly gaining the majority of those votes.
In the 2023 election night, Scruby led the Liberal candidate but ultimately lost in later counting.
If she emerges victorious this time, it would mark only the second time in 51 years that the state Liberal party has lost the seat.
The by-election was triggered by the arrest of incumbent MP Rory Amon on child abuse charges, which he denies.
The defeat in Pittwater would be another setback for the Liberal party following the administrative issues that affected dozens of Liberal councillors in the recent local elections.
Scrubby acknowledges the challenges the Liberals are facing but notes that people are increasingly favoring community-supported representatives.
She emphasizes that this shift in trust towards independents has been a gradual process and highlights the success of independents at other levels of government.
Supported By Climate Lobby Group
Scruby, who has previously advised federal teal MPs Sophie Scamps and Zali Steggall, received strong support from the environmental-focused political fundraiser Climate 200 led by Simon Holmes à Court.
The loss of Pittwater would reduce the NSW Liberal Party to one state MP and one councillor, with no federal MPs, in a region that was once a stronghold for conservatives like Tony Abbott and Bronwyn Bishop.
Liberal NSW leader Mark Speakman acknowledges the impact of past scandals on the party and recognizes the toll taken by recent events.
Despite the challenges, the Liberals secured victories in two other by-elections over the weekend, with Monica Tudehope and James Wallace winning in Epping and Hornsby, respectively, without facing a Labor opponent.
AAP contributed to this story
