The President of the Kiama branch of the Labor Party, Katelin McInerney, is to run for Labor in the seat of Kiama at the March State Election.

The Party is keen to win back the seat it lost to then Liberal Gareth Ward in 2011.

“Katelin is a passionate advocate for her community and I know she will make a strong local Member in NSW Parliament if she has the privilege of being elected,” says NSW Labor Leader Chris Minns.

“Katelin has a strong connection to Kiama and is dedicated to working for meaningful change for the community, particularly in relation to the environment, health care, education, and cost of living for families in Kiama. 

“Labor faces a huge challenge in the seat of Kiama, but I am pleased we get to meet that challenge with a candidate of Katelin’s calibre.

“This seat deserves a member who is focused on delivering outcomes, and is actually allowed in Parliament House, to advocate for their constituents.”

This comment refers to Mr Ward being suspended from Parliament in March this year after he was charged with three counts of indecent assault, one count of sexual intercourse without consent, and one count of common assault.

Mr Ward says he is innocent of the charges, which involve a 17 year old boy in 2013 and a 27 year old man in 2015. The suspension will remain until criminal proceedings are finalised.

Mr Ward is no longer a member of the Parliamentary Liberal Party, and now promotes himself as an independent. He has yet to declare whether he will be standing for re-election. It is also unclear as to whether the Liberal Party will run its own candidate.

Ms McInerney grew up in Kiama and returned here to start a family after a career in journalism, communications and advocacy.

Her resume says she was the first woman to hold the director position of the journalists’ union (MEAA) and has represented members at all levels of government, at Senate inquiries, with the ACCC, and fought for greater Federal government funding for the ABC and SBS, and positions in regional newsrooms, for more than a decade. 

Locally, apart from her involvement with the Labor Party, she is a member of the Kiama Epicentre Association (seeking to establish a creative hub in the Bombo Quarry redevelopment) and Kiama Downs Surf Life Saving Club.

She lives in the Kiama LGA with her partner, Brian, and two year old child, William.

“I love this place and the people in it - and we deserve better. We deserve a strong voice in parliament, someone who will be there to fight for greater investment in our schools, our hospitals, our roads and small businesses, and who will be a strong advocate for the change we need in this region,” she says.

“We need to end the conga line of chaos and incompetence from this 12 year old State Liberal government.

“I’m ready to be the strong and effective voice that Kiama needs.”