Meet the last Liberal standing for Northern Beaches Council - all because he made a mistake

Pittwater cafe owner Mandeep Singh should have been a victim of the NSW Liberals’ now-infamous council nominations fiasco. Instead, Singh’s own administrative mishap means he is the party’s sole candidate running for Northern Beaches Council at this weekend’s local government election.

The accidental candidate made the rookie error of lodging his own nomination form to contest the local government election rather than waiting for the Liberal Party to do it on his behalf.

Mandeep Singh made the rookie error of submitting his own nomination forms. Credit: Louise Kennerley

It’s lucky he did, because Singh, who runs several cafes across the northern beaches, is a candidate, and his Liberal colleagues are not. They had intended to join him on a council ticket, but the party made the spectacular mistake of failing to meet the official deadline for nominations.

Singh is an ungrouped candidate, meaning he is technically running as an independent. Not that anyone would know it, with the first-time hopeful supported at pre-poll by Liberal Party members.

Wearing a Liberal T-shirt on the hustings, with campaign posters labelling him “the Liberal Party member for Pittwater ward”, Singh said voters at pre-poll were happy to have a Liberal to support.

“The northern beaches has been my home for 25 years, and I am really about supporting local businesses because I am not a politician, I am a businessman,” Singh said.

Singh greets voters at Mona Vale Community Centre on Tuesday.Credit: Louise Kennerley

“I have had lots of support from Young Liberals helping me on my campaign and other party members, and I think voters like that there is a new face supporting businesses.”

The Liberal Party has confirmed that Singh was endorsed to run as a candidate and is a member of the party, but because he did not follow the nomination rules, his forms were lodged on time.

“The word Liberal will not appear next to my name on the ballot as planned, however I believe transparency in politics is critical,” Singh said in a statement on his social media.

“I am a member of the Liberal Party, I believe in the values of the Liberal Party and, if elected, I will bring a Liberal approach to the role of councillor.”

Singh was going to run on a ticket with sitting councillor Michael Gencher for the Pittwater ward, however Gencher was a victim of the Liberal fiasco and will not be a candidate on Saturday.

Gencher is contesting preselection for the state seat of Pittwater, which was forced to a byelection when Liberal MP Rory Amon quit parliament after being charged with child sex offences, which he denies and has vowed to fight.

Northern Beaches Deputy Mayor Georgia Ryburn is also running for Pittwater preselection after her council career was cut short by an administrative bungle that left her party membership invalid, along with fellow councillor Bianca Crvelin.

The fourth nominee is Claire Longley, a lawyer. The candidate will be chosen on Wednesday night, with the byelection on October 19.

Pittwater is one of three byelections the Liberals face next month.

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