Port Macquarie mayor Peta Pinson to run for Nationals in state election
An independent Mid-North Coast mayor, who announced she had joined The Nationals and will be running in the NSW election, has “full intentions” of serving both roles if elected.
Mid-North Coast
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Port Macquarie Mayor Peta Pinson has “full intentions” of carrying out the roles of both mayor and State Member for Port Macquarie if elected.
That means she could be both the mayor and the state member from March next year through to the local government elections in late 2024.
“Legislation allows me to stay in council as mayor until the elections in 2024 and I have full intentions of doing so,” Ms Pinson said.
The revelation that Ms Pinson would be running in the state election was not unexpected, but she took some by surprise making the announcement at a rally over the weekend against a controversial state government project.
Around 2000 people gathered for the Save Our Breakwall rally to express their anger at state government plans which involve removing the large mature Norfolk Island pines and the iconic painted rocks along the popular stretch.
There are also fears the work could impact the iconic surf break.
Ms Pinson said there could not have been a “more fitting time” to announce she had recently joined The Nationals and would be running against coalition partner and ex-Nationals member Leslie Williams who quit the party in 2020 partly over the handling of the state government’s koala policy.
“The southern breakwall is the reason why I am running and joining The National party so there was no more fitting time to let the community know that I will be fighting tooth and nail to realise what the community wants and that is, in principle, a widening of the footpath,” she said.
The project has led to deep divisions in the community and these emotions were on show at the last Port Macquarie-Hastings Council meeting for the year where councillors narrowly voted to support ‘in principle’ the state government plan for the upgrade.
Councillors Lauren Edwards, Sharon Griffiths, Lisa Intemann, Nik Lipovac and Rachel Sheppard voted to support the upgrade while councillors Danielle Maltman, Peta Pinson, Adam Roberts and Josh Slade would not support it.
Works will be completed next year and it is to be fully funded by the NSW Government.
One aspect councillors did agree on was the lack of information from Transport for NSW about the project leading to rumours and misinformation in the community about the project.
Ms Pinson argued that she never signed up to the upgrade which is currently being proposed, and that the walking path can be widened without the loss of the iconic rocks and mature Norfolk Island pines.
Elected after shock resignation of Peter Besseling
Ms Pinson was elected as an independent mayor at a by election in August 2017.
The move was sparked by the shock resignation of Peter Besseling to take up a job with Birdon Marine and, after the 2021 local government election, she was returned to the mayoral position.
Her recent announcement means she will be up against sitting Liberal member Leslie Williams.
Traditionally The Liberal – National Coalition partners do not pit candidates against one another.
NSW Nationals Chairman Andrew Fraser admitted it’s not “normal” but it has happened in the past and added: “The Liberals have never stood in Port Macquarie before – it is a regional seat and has been represented almost exclusively by the Nationals.”
Although Ms Pinson campaigned for local government as an independent candidate, Mr Fraser pointed out she had always “handed out for Nationals candidates” in the past.
He said the rally on the weekend was a “strong indication” that people were opposed to the breakwall upgrade in its current form.
“From conversations I’ve had with the mayor, and common sense tells you, you can widen the breakwall without the removal of the Norfolk Island pines and the rocks being pulled out and disposed of.”
Mr Fraser said Ms Pinson was the seventh female candidate to put their hand up to run at the state election for The Nationals.
“And we have achieved that without the use of quotas or anything like that,” he said.
“I’ve always said it doesn’t matter about religion or gender – it’s the best person for the job.”
Port Macquarie member since 2011
Leslie Williams has been the member of Port Macquarie since 2011.
She moved to the region in 1996 with her husband Don to operate the small Lake Cathie post office.
In September 2020 Port Macquarie MP Leslie Williams formally became a member of the Liberal Party after resigning from the NSW Nationals.
The move was triggered by the clash between former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro and then-premier Gladys Berejiklian over the state government’s koala policy. The move blindsided most of her colleagues at the time.
Leslie Williams has been contacted for comment.
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