By-election battle: Libs to face off YouTuber ‘Sydney Daddy’ and three libertarians

A popular YouTuber has entered the by-election race; a conga line of blokes are queuing up to take on “teal” Sophie Scamps; and which ex-pollie refused to pay his house cleaner until a legal letter arrived?

If the Liberals were counting on an easy ride at the upcoming byelections, the Libertarian Party and a hugely popular YouTuber going by the name of “Sydney Daddy” are stirring things up.

Popular Chinese Australian content creator Edgar Lu, 44, was a Liberal Party voter before deciding to put himself forward as an independent for the seat of Epping after becoming disillusioned with the party.

His “Sydney Daddy” YouTube channel has more than 280,000 subscribers who tune in each week to hear Lu discuss the issues of the day, including politics.

Lu told The Sauce that he took up You Tubing after quitting his high-paying job four years ago to become a stay-at-home dad after his wife – a procurement specialist – declared she wanted to go back to work after having their second child.

His four key platforms include a more equitable selective school entrance system, improved funding for public education, fighting “wokism” which he says “scared the local Chinese community” and education about AI.

Independent candidate for Epping, Edgar Lu aka “Sydney Daddy”, with is family. Picture: Supplied

In the last Census, almost one-third of Epping voters said they had Chinese ancestry.

Lu, who has described himself as the “most influential Mandarin political commentator in the southern hemisphere” will be taking on Liberal candidate Monica Tudehope in the seat formerly held by ex-premier Dominic Perrottet, as will Rob Cribb, who is running for the Libertarian Party – formerly the Liberal Democrats.

Both Lu and Cribb are expected to steal conservative votes from the Liberals.

Georgia Ryburn. Picture: Justin Lloyd

Jacqui Scruby.

Over in Hornsby, Liberal candidate James Wallace will also be fighting the Libertarians who are running for votes against Libertarian geologist Marc Hendrickx.

And while the focus in Pittwater has been between Liberal Georgia Ryburn and independent Jacqui Scruby, the Libertarians have put up local Doug Rennie who may steal some of Ryburn’s votes.

TOO BLOKEY?

With all the internal chatter within the Liberal Party about a woman being the best chance at taking out a teal, there seems to be a lot of blokes vying for independent MP Sophie Scamp’s seat of Mackellar.

At the top of the queue is Northern Beaches councillor Michael Gencher, who is understood to have the support of Liberal leader Peter Dutton.

Also believed to be in the race is defence expert James Brown and entrepreneur Brook Adcock, who is the former husband of Karin Adcock of Pandora jewellery fame (she started the business in her Northern Beaches garage before selling it for an estimated $100 million).

The Adcock’s yacht was also called “Pandora” and was often seen moored around Newport.

Other names doing the rounds include disability advocate David Brady, national security expert Lincoln Parker and communications expert Paul Nettelbeck.

Independent MP for Mackellar, Sophie Scamps. Picture: Justin Lloyd

Teacher Vicky McGay is believed to be the only woman to be running, and is understood to have the support of former Liberal ministers Brad Hazzard and Rob Stokes.

The federal seat was previously held by Jason Falinksi.

WAITING GAME

Two restless Liberal MPs have been not-so-quietly calling around some of their colleagues about the prospect of a future potential spill.

The Sauce hears the pair will be watching the results of the upcoming triple by-election closely before deciding on their next move.

We understand neither “has the numbers”, although we have been down this road enough to know this can rapidly change.

By-elections are a test for Liberal leader Mark Speakman. Picture: NewsWire/Max Mason-Hubers

One of the MPs has apparently been telling his colleagues that they are “bored” and feel they either need “have a go” at the top job or start making money in the private sector.

The only problem for the pair is that the latest opinion poll shows NSW Labor to be trailing the Coalition with Labor’s primary vote slipping and the Coalition’s rising.

However, Premier Chris Minns remains the preferred premier over Liberal leader Mark Speakman.

DIRTY BUSINESS

Which former high-profile pollie was recently accused of failing to pay their house cleaner? The Sauce can reveal the cleaning firm engaged a lawyer to recoup its fees after the ex-pollie refused to pay up. The work had involved the removal of “black mould” and attempts to dislodge a “bizarre dark carpet stain” from the lounge room.

Maybe the former pollie was not happy with the result. Either way, we hear the pollie paid up after a legal letter of demand was sent.

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Originally published as By-election battle: Libs to face off YouTuber ‘Sydney Daddy’ and three libertarians