Shellharbour Ward A by-election D-Day nears after ‘really hard’ pre-poll period

A dramatic pre-polling period is coming to an end with Shellharbour Council Ward A’s three lead candidates on a unity ticket regarding the area’s no.1 issue.

Corflutes have covered Albion Park’s Centenary Hall for much of July as Saturday’s Shellharbour Ward A by-election draws closer.

The Ward A revote comes eight months on from the iVote meltdown which plunged three local government areas, namely Kempsey, Singleton and Shellharbour, into chaos.

The by-election has been unexpectedly eventful in the southern Illawarra LGA with former mayor Marianne Saliba throwing herself into the ring to try and knock off Independent Kellie Marsh and Labor’s Maree Edwards who won the initial vote.

Ms Saliba, who was a card-carrying Labor member for more than three decades, was dramatically thrown out of the party after opting to run against Ms Edwards.

The former Illawarra MP’s ousting came on the same day she got into a cuffufle with Aaron Vann, the no.2 on the Labor ticket, with his stepmother and Member for Shellharbour, Anna Watson, telling the media charges would be pressed.

No shortage of corflutes outside Albion Park Centenary Hall ahead of Saturday’s Shellharbour Ward A by-election.

All three lead candidates flagged the Albion Park bypass as a key priority for voters. pic.twitter.com/jqaZP2s8bs

— Dylan Arvela (@dylanarvela) July 28, 2022

However, the tension has simmered down as July 30, by-election day, draws near with the three lead candidates highlighting the Albion Park Tripoli Way bypass as one of the main issues voters are speaking to them about.

“It’s been a really hard two weeks for everyone,” Ms Edwards told NewsLocal.

“Not just for me, but for my volunteers and for my two opponents, but I think we have all been very collegiate contrary to the popular stuff out there.

“We get on, we share food, we’ve done everything well I think. We are all working really hard and it is really going to be a tight call on the night.”

Labor candidate Maree Edwards. Picture: Dylan Arvela

Independent candidate Marianne Saliba. Picture: Dylan Arvela

Ms Saliba said traffic was a “real problem” for the city‘s west-most ward and pointed to her record as mayor as to why people should back her in.

“There’s a bit of work going on in Albion Park,” she said.

“We’ve upgraded the play area, the swimming pool, here at Centenary Hall in fact, this is a heritage listed building and we’ve now done some upgrades in here.

“People can see there’s some money being spent, but there’s always more to be done.

The former mayor also said the city’s coffers were also a key concern of hers.

“Another thing I am committed to is council’s financial sustainability,” Ms Saliba said.

“While I am on council that’s what I will work on. That’s the airport, the marina, the businesses that the council own that can create an income that will take pressure off of taxpayers.”

Along with the bypass, Ms Marsh’s action cry is “stable representation” with the former Liberal councillor also keen to point out she and her no.2, Shane Bitschkat, have steered clear of the pre-poll “antics”.

Independent candidate Kellie Marsh. Picture: Dylan Arvela

“People want good, stable representation,” she said.

“They want people who are going to get in there and do the best job for them.

“I’ve been in politics for many, many years and I’ve never experienced anything like it. Some of the antics we’ve had here have been quite extraordinary.

“My team is staying positive and staying out of it so we can focus on the job at hand.”

In the December election, 88 per cent of the 15,661 eligible voters cast their ballot and this time around it’s anticipated that nearly half of those will have done so prior to Saturday.

There will be four polling venues on election day including Albion Park Rail Public School, Albion Park Public School, Albion Park Rail Public School and Mt Terry Public School.

Polls will be open from 8pm and close at 6pm.