Former Shellharbour mayor Marianne Saliba ousted from Labor Party after 32 years

Former Labor MP and Shellharbour mayor Marianne Saliba laid into the party after she was expelled. Find out why and what she could do next.

She ruled the roost as Shellharbour‘s Labor mayor for nearly a decade, but now Marianne Saliba has been booted out of the party she joined way back in 1990.

Ms Saliba lost the mayorship in December and is now running as an independent in this month’s Shellharbour Ward A by-election.

The former state MP for the now defunct seat of Illawarra was notified of the decision on Tuesday evening, just hours after she had a run-in with Aaron Vann – the no.2 on the Labor ticket in Ward A and the stepson of Shellharbour MP Anna Watson.

Mr Vann claims Ms Saliba reversed over his foot in the car park next to the pre-polling centre at Albion Park’s Centenary Hall.

However, Ms Saliba said she was simply trying to get a closer parking spot due to her physical disability, telling NewsLocal, “There were enough people there who know exactly what happened.”

Marianne Saliba has blasted Labor’s decision to expel her from the party. Picture: Facebook

“No I don’t,” Ms Saliba refuted when asked if she expected charges would be laid despite police being called to the pre-polling centre.

Ms Saliba said her expulsion from Labor had “nothing to do with what happened” on Tuesday, but rather her decision to run against the party’s candidates of Mr Vann and incumbent Maree Edwards.

“Tonight I received a letter from the so-called democratic party that I’ve been expelled,” Ms Saliba revealed.

“I‘ve been a member for 32 years, I am a female, I am a person with a disability and they don’t give a damn – why would anyone be a member?

“I have not just been a member for 32 years, but it’s been 32 years of my life … I’ve been on a number of committees and there’s been no due process.

“I am very disappointed. The Labor Party I joined was a party of principle and the party now has no principles.”

Former Member for Illawarra Marianne Saliba with Health Minister John Hatzistergos and Premier Morris Iemma in 2005. Picture: Tracee Lea

Ms Saliba said she would appeal the decision because she “has rights”, but she didn’t expect the decision to be overturned.

Ms Saliba indicated she wouldn’t be getting off the political rollercoaster anytime soon, even hinting at attempting to return to Macquarie Street.

“I am not pulling out [of the by-election],” she said.

“They are obviously concerned. I don’t care what the result ends up being, win, lose or draw. I’ll be happy to take on the result of the community, but it’s shameful the lengths Labor will go to intimidate me.

“[If I am not elected at the by-election], I will run again at the next [local government] election and I might actually put my hand up at the state election as an independent – it will be like back to the future.”