‘Ego-driven ambition, bullying and betrayal’: Ann Sudmalis unleashes on Liberal MP

Liberal Gareth Ward denies he bullied Ann Sudmalis and challenges her to produce the evidence outside parliament.

Marginal NSW Liberal MP Ann Sudmalis has used parliamentary privilege to unleash against her state colleague Gareth Ward, accusing him of leaking damaging material and conducting publicity stunts to undermine her position.

Hours after confirming she would not contest the next election for the federal seat of Gilmore because of alleged bullying and intimidation, Ms Sudmalis rose in the House of Representatives to attack Mr Ward and a number of his allies for “annihilating anyone who opposes him”.

Mr Ward is the Liberal member for Kiama in the NSW parliament.

“Politics is a place where if you do not have great resilience, the actions of others can impact on your mental health. Bullying, betrayal and backstabbing have been the hallmarks of one of my state Liberal colleagues, Gareth Ward, over the past six-and-a-half years,” Ms Sudmalis told the chamber.

“I have been misrepresented in all manner of media in a continuing barrage of actions since April 2012.

“Since the day of winning preselection in 2012, the local self-determined ‘senior Liberal’ has been leaking damaging material to media, having publicity stunts that are completely against federal policy initiatives and more recently approach friends asking me to nominate my retirement date and then he’d call off his people.”

Ms Sudmalis said the “final straw” came when her supporters on the committee essential to her winning an election were “rolled” and replaced by people who had not been part of a federal campaign.

NSW MP Gareth Ward.

“This is not the first time that Gareth has flexed his vengeance on strong Liberal women. He doesn’t just get even, he annihilates anyone who opposes him,” she said.

“Was I doing a lousy job? No. Only if you ask a local Labor member and even some of them think I’m doing an OK job. Was it because they thought I’d lose the next election? Hardly, when I had the confidence of the former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and the current Prime Minister Scott Morrison openly stating on national television their support for me.

“This was all about Gareth’s narcissistic revenge planned and plotted. I have decided enough is enough.

“After seeing the betrayal of amazing and dedicated committee members, who are now being contacted by the new committee members asking for help, the whole scenario is pathetic. Who is this about? Certainly not the people who elected me. It was about ego-driven ambition, bullying and betrayal, and my local position is completely untenable.”

Ms Sudmalis alleged Mr Ward had worked against other “strong” Liberal women by doing the numbers to deny a candidate top position and handing out for an independent candidate so the Greens’ candidate received more preferences.

Mr Ward refuted Ms Sudmalis’ allegations “entirely” and said as someone with a very obvious disability — he lives with albinism and is legally blind — he “knows what it’s like to be bullied”.

“I’m sure if Ms Sudmalis had any evidence of these claims she’d make them outside of parliament. What I heard tonight was an attack on me as she announces her retirement. I have handed out (how-to-vote cards) for her at every election and have supported her. I think sometimes when things within a party internally don’t go a certain way, sometimes people think that’s bullying,” he told The Australian.

Ms Sudmalis said she was “absolutely” OK and would not be distracted by “boys who should know better, men who know better and do nothing or women who are manipulated by false information”.