Popular Western Sydney MP Geoff Lee to quit politics amid Liberal moderate exodus
Popular Parramatta MP Geoff Lee has decided to retire at the next election. Will Labor be in a position to snap up the Western Sydney seat?
NSW
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The NSW Liberal party’s moderate faction is reeling from another loss with Corrections Minister and Parramatta MP Geoff Lee announcing he will not recontest at the next election.
Mr Lee joins his moderate faction colleague Victor Dominello in retiring from politics ahead of the March 2023 election.
“For the past 12 years, I have devoted my life to the people of Parramatta. It has been an honour and a privilege to serve as the Member for Parramatta but now I must put my family first and will retire from NSW parliament at the next election,” he said.
The hugely popular local member — who was known for his persistent advocacy for Parramatta — leaves Labor a golden opportunity to target the Western Sydney seat.
Mr Lee was the first member of the NSW Legislative Assemble with Chinese Heritage and delivered a $1bn upgrade to Westmead Hospital, a $600m upgrade to the The Children’s Hospital at Westmead along with securing funding for a spate of local schools.
Whispers about Mr Lee’s departure had been floating around Macquarie Street with The Daily Telegraph revealing that Tanya Raffoul — long time chief of staff to Transport Minister David Elliott — could be the woman to replace him.
Ms Raffoul grew up in Western Sydney and lives in North Parramatta.
On Monday, Nationals MP Chris Gulaptis also revealed he will not recontest for the seat of Clarence.
Mr Gulaptis is most known as the force behind the Baird government’s backflip on the greyhound racing ban.
“I have had the incredible privilege of serving the Clarence electorate as a Nationals MP for almost 11 years,” he said.
“I have made the exceptionally difficult decision not to seek re-election for the seat of Clarence at the next State election in March 2023.”
Infrastructure Minister Rob Stokes also faced questions of whether he would run again, calling them “hypothetical” because nominations for preselection in his seat of Pittwater have not yet opened.
He said when they do, he will discuss the issue with his family before making a decision.
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