Melanie Gibbons nominates for Kiama in last-ditch bid to save her political career

Liberal MP Melanie Gibbons has just 15 days to win a seat she does not live in and save her political career — but she’ll have to beat an old friend to do so.

Liberal MP Melanie Gibbons has just 15 days to win a seat she does not live in and save her political career — but the newly installed Kiama candidate says she’s not going down without a fight.

Pushed out of her own seat of Holsworthy and never given a ministry — despite having been promised one for agreeing to withdraw her nomination for the federal seat of Hughes — Ms Gibbons says she has nothing to lose by running in Kiama.

The former Technical Aid to the Disabled (TAD) NSW development manager said she had been contemplating her future post-politics when Premier Dominic Perrottet called her to ask if she would be the Liberal candidate for the south coast seat.

With sitting MP Gareth Ward recontesting the seat as an independent after being suspended from the Liberal Party following historical sexual abuse charges — which he strenuously denies — the party was left without a candidate.

Nominations were called for at least three times but the various candidates were struck out each time at the vetting round.

Melanie Gibbons, pictured with her daughters Elizabeth and Audrey, is running for the Liberals in Kiama. Picture: Richard Dobson

After Mr Perrottet declared the party would be running a candidate, he picked up the phone to Ms Gibbons — a seasoned campaigner and strong advocate for women.

“I was ironing school uniforms when I got the call. It was unexpected, to be honest,” she said.

“He said I am a proven voice, I have a track record. He said this was an area that needed representation and that I was a strong campaigner.

“I said to my partner (Sutherland Shire councillor Kent Johns): ‘Are we ready to do this again? I’ve got two little ones. It will be a 17-day campaign’. But I agreed.

“I love being an advocate for people and to make a difference in people’s lives, people having it tough, women, people with a disability. I’ve been a member of this party for 24 years.

“People deserve to be given the opportunity to vote Liberal and that’s why I said yes.”

Sitting Kiama MP Gareth Ward MP is running as an independent.

Ms Gibbons with Dominic Perrottet (right).

Mr Perrottet last year promised Ms Gibbons a ministry if she pulled out of the running for Hughes to avoid a messy factional battle ahead of the May federal election.

Ms Gibbons, who has been an MP since 2011, reluctantly did so to let Jenny Ware win the seat of Hughes, only to wait in vain for a ministerial reshuffle and promotion.

While not bitter, Ms Gibbons conceded it was a big ask to win Kiama.

“I wanted Hughes pretty badly,” she said.

“I knew I would lose my preselection for Holsworthy, the branch I was strongest in had closed.

“I knew the writing was on the wall so Hughes was pretty attractive.

“It was a chance to continue to make a difference.”

Polls have to date put Mr Ward comfortably ahead of his rivals.

Some Liberals were last week concerned that having a strong candidate such as Ms Gibbons would split the conservative vote, allowing Labor to come up the middle.

Ms Gibbons, who counts Mr Ward as a friend, said she would not be swapping preferences with Mr Ward, and the NSW Liberal Party office confirmed it would be pushing a “just vote 1 in Kiama” message.

As for how she feels about campaigning against a mate, Ms Gibbons said she would be sticking to promoting Liberal Party policy.

“We’ve known each other for a long time,” she said.

“I’ll be putting the party first. I’m just going to give it my best shot.”

While she does not live in the Kiama electorate, Ms Gibbons said she was prepared to relocate if successful.

In the meantime, she is camping out with family and friends.

“I’ve got family there, I’ve got aunties, cousins, so I’ll be staying with them while Kent will be on the home front with the girls.

“Should I be successful, I’d love to live there. It’s a beautiful place.”

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