Mixed by-election bag for NSW Liberals as teal lauds community power

NSW parliament’s first ‘teal independent’ has said that voters were spurning party allegiances for ‘true community representation’ as she prized away a blue-ribbon electorate from the Liberals.

Jacqui Scruby with volunteers at Bayview Scout Hall, in the Pittwater electorate, on Sunday. Picture: John Feder

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NSW parliament’s first “teal independent” Jacqui Scruby has said that voters were spurning party allegiances for “true community representation” as she stole a blue-ribbon electorate from the state Liberals.

In what appears to be a convincing victory, albeit with counting to continue on Monday, Climate 200-backed Ms Scruby has all but beaten out Liberal Georgia Ryburn in Pittwater – a once party stronghold but which had been vacated when incumbent Rory Amon resigned after being charged with child sex offences in August.

The Liberals were pleased with positive results in two other by-elections in Hornsby and Epping, where candidates James Wallace and Monica Tudehope were all but set to enter state parliament with increased margins and significant swings.

Gleaning what it means for the party approaching the federal election, however, proves difficult given the nature of Mr Amon’s departure in Pittwater, and lack of Labor candidates in Hornsby and Epping. But results would suggest that Peter Dutton’s bid to reclaim federal teal seats will be an uphill battle.

When counting concluded on Saturday night, Ms Scruby had about 54 per cent of first-preference votes, with an 18 per cent primary swing, after almost 63 per cent of the votes had been counted.

Ms Scruby with her husband and daughter on Sunday.

“People here are recognising that there’s a different way of doing politics, which is community based politics,” she said, adding that the Liberals’ own problems had perhaps aided her cause.

“I think a lot of people would agree that the NSW Liberal Party isn’t necessarily (at) its peak, and that would be one of the factors that led to the results that we’re seeing today.”