‘I’m still an underdog’: The teal candidate taking on the Liberals in Pittwater

Teal candidate Jacqui Scruby hopes widespread frustration at the NSW Liberals’ turmoil might propel her into state parliament when she takes her second tilt at the seat of Pittwater, setting up a rematch between the party and independents in the knife-edge northern beaches electorate.

“I just think people are fed up with scandals and want to be represented the way they deserve to be represented,” said Scruby, who has confirmed she will run in next month’s byelection.

Jacqui Scruby will take on the Liberals in Pittwater for the second time, after she narrowly lost to former MP Rory Amon.Credit: Janie Barrett

Scruby said the community was in shock following former Pittwater MP Rory Amon’s resignation on Friday after he was charged with offences including five counts of having sexual intercourse with a child between the ages of 10 and 14. Amon, 35, denies wrongdoing and will fight the charges.

Scruby lost Pittwater to Amon by just 606 votes – a margin of 0.7 per cent – at the state poll in 2023, despite a 22 per cent swing against the Liberals following the exit of long-time MP Rob Stokes.

Even with a minuscule margin, Scruby acknowledged she would be up against the Liberal Party “machine” and she remained “very conscious that as an independent, it’s incredibly hard”.

“I think I’m still an underdog, so I’m not taking anything for granted,” she said.

“But I’m encouraged by the amount of support I’ve got, so I’ve decided to run again.”

Scruby, 41, has two children and lives at Whale Beach. She has worked as an environmental lawyer, management consultant, and campaign manager for independent Mackellar MP Sophie Scamps.

She said small businesses were struggling, and she wanted to boost funding for schools and restore integrity to politics. “My focus has been on listening to people talk about what they care about and what’s important to them,” she said.

Wakehurst independent MP Michael Regan said Scruby would make an “excellent” MP, describing her as “skilled, experienced, tenacious and compassionate”.

Pittwater preselection candidates Georgia Ryburn (left) and Claire Longley.

Amon’s resignation sent the Liberals scrambling to select a candidate to run in Pittwater before a byelection is held to coincide with polls in Epping and Hornsby on October 19.

Northern Beaches Council Deputy Mayor Georgia Ryburn – who will lose her position on the council after the Liberals’ local government nomination debacle – and ANZ corporate governance manager Claire Longley have both nominated for preselection.

Outgoing Northern Beaches councillor Michael Gencher has also nominated.

Nominations closed on Tuesday night. NSW Liberal leader Mark Speakman is expected to attend a meeting of Pittwater party members on Thursday night before the preselection on September 11.

Stokes, Manly MP James Griffin and former NSW premier Mike Baird are backing Ryburn.

Baird said Ryburn would be a “brilliant representative”.

“Georgia represents strong, modern Liberal values: aspirational, moral, integrous, supported by strong family and societal values,” he said in a written endorsement on Wednesday.

Labor is considering its options for the seat; however, it is highly unlikely the party will run a candidate.

Get alerts on significant breaking news as happens. Sign up for our Breaking News Alert.