NSW Local Government elections blunder: Two of three Penrith council wards Liberal free, no Blue Mountains candidates

Only one Penrith council ward will have Liberals on the ballot following a massive local government elections fumble - while the not-so-Blue Mountains have been wiped of a conservative voice.

A “devastating” NSW Liberal Party blunder means two of three Penrith council wards will be Liberal free, while the not-so-Blue Mountains have been completely wiped of any conservative voice.

It comes as dozens of Liberal candidates across the state have had their local government dreams crushed — some before they even began — after the Liberals missed a critical deadline to nominate hopefuls for an array of local government areas.

Among the casualties are Penrith’s Deputy Mayor Mark Davies, along with councillor colleagues Bernard Bratusa, Mark Rusev and Marlene Shipley.

Marked safe is Cr Ross Fowler, who will bring four blue ribbon candidates to the ballot for Penrith’s north ward.

Penrith Deputy Mayor Mark Davies.

Councillor Marlene Shipley, who has been wiped from east ward contention, said she was “devastated” and “heartbroken” by the shock realisation her career with Penrith City Council had been cut short.

“I don’t want to say it feels like a waste of time, but its taken me two-and-a-half years to get my head around council and recognise how muchI canactually to do for the community and now its just been ripped from under me,” she said.

Penrith Councillor Marlene Shipley says the gaffe is "heartbreaking".

“We all accept consequences when something is our responsibility, but I had done everything that I needed to do – Liberal HQ just had to press a button and for that not to be done … I’m so angry.”

The news comes as a double blow to Ms Shipley, who up until now had been an independent before choosing to jump ship following the resignation of long-serving councillor Tricia Hitchen.

Cr Roza Sage from Blue Mountains Council says party members are still coming to terms with the blunder.

Ms Shipley said: “Tricia Hitchen, who had been a wonderful mentor, she came to me and said ‘I’m not contesting, I want you to replace me on that ticket because we have the same values’.”

“That felt like a huge honour to follow in her footsteps, now I feel like I’ve let my community down by not being re-elected,” she said.

Meanwhile, nearby Blue Mountains stares down the barrel of four years without any conservative voice after both Liberal candidates were impacted.

Former state Blue Mountains MP Roza Sage, whose time in council has been cut short after just one term, said the blunder was “disappointing”.

“The most disappointing part of it is now the Blue Mountain don't have a choice in not having a conservative voice in our council – the rest are pretty much left-leaning,” she said.

“We had a very talented team put together to contest the elections, so we are just coming to terms with it now.”

Long-time Liberal councillor Kevin Schreiber was set to resign this election, with Rita Fisher – a solicitor and business owner from Leura – set to take the torch.

Originally published as NSW Local Government elections blunder: Two of three Penrith council wards Liberal free, no Blue Mountains candidates