It’s been six short months since our community went to the polls and elected our new Kiama Council. Some were shocked at the results with Mayor Cameron McDonald’s “Community Minded, Business Focused” team taking one third of the seats, with another third also made up of newcomers. 

With the Federal election around the corner, the next two months will be chock full of campaigning, announcements, broad brush commitments and sweeping statements – we love it! The big question is, and always has been – what’s in it for us? What will our community get? And which candidates and political parties are best placed to actually deliver it?

On an ultra-thin margin of 0.2%, the seat of Gilmore, which encompasses Kiama, Nowra-Bomaderry, Berry, Milton-Ulladulla, Jervis Bay and Batemans Bay and surrounds, is one of the key seats in the upcoming election. The result in Gilmore could indeed tip the result of the election one way or another.

In Gilmore, it looks to be a three-horse race between the incumbent, Fiona Phillips (Labor), the failed challenger of the 2022 election Andrew Constance (Liberal) and Berry local, Kate Dezarnaulds as the independent, sponsored by Climate 200.

With the benefit of a Federal Budget that will take place next week, Ms Phillips will have the opportunity to make commitments related to much-needed public infrastructure and cost of living measures. We have already seen proclamations regarding the Nowra Riverfront Revitalisation and upgrades to the Marine Rescue facility at Crookhaven Heads. 

Mr Constance, historically a member of the “moderate” faction of the Liberal Party, has taken a more hardline stance on issues such as climate change, in line with the position of Opposition Leader, Peter Dutton. The Liberal Party will be latching onto historically high interest rates and inflation, and the subsequent impact on cost-of-living pressures as a core tenet of their election campaign.

Finally, Ms Dezarnaulds is marketing herself as the truly independent voice for Gilmore. She sets her priorities as affordable housing and healthcare, powering the future, community resilience and honest leadership. 

She will be hoping history repeats itself and the Gilmore electorate supports her in the same way the Kiama community supported the independent ticket at the 2024 local council elections.

The election must take place on or before 17 May 2025, and there will be a period of at least 33 days between announcing the date and polling day itself.

For what it’s worth, here at The Bugle we have 10 May as our pick.

Over the next 5-7 weeks these candidates will be out and about, making proclamations as to why they should represent Gilmore and our community for the next three years. 

Over the next decade, our community will undergo very significant change. Whether it be to Council services or expansion of the existing town (both up and out) all of this means we are going to require more infrastructure, funding and support (from all levels of Government).

The Bugle’s View is that every one of us has the responsibility to ask hard-hitting questions, seek genuine commitments and ensure we elect the candidate that will get the most for us now, and into the future.