Councillor Matt Brown has confirmed that he was expelled from the Labor Party last week.

“After 30 years of service I’m very disappointed,” he says.

“I wasn’t afforded any procedural fairness in the decision.”

The former Member for Kiama feels he had done what he needed to run as an independent at the last Council election, which was the first time Kiama Labor ran an endorsed ticket.

“Our branch resolved unanimously to support me as an independent. Don Watson was given approval to run. Only once my third term nomination was lodged was I informed that I was not to run. It just made no sense and it was too late to pull out as I had already announced I was running.

“At the same time Don was told he could run, so I don’t know how that was ever going to work.”

As someone who has always felt party politics shouldn’t be in council, he never sought endorsement for earlier terms.

“I’ve had a lot of support and calls from members of parliament and local branch members, which I appreciate,” says Cllr Brown.

“I’ll be supporting Kaitlin [the endorsed Labor candidate for Kiama], just as I supported the Federal campaign and am looking forward to seeing Chris Minns elected as premier.”

Cllr Brown reached the level of NSW Minister for Tourism and briefly Minister for Police before he lost that role due to reports of him dancing on his desk in his underwear at a party in his ministerial office, which he has denied.

NSW Labor Head Office has been contacted for comment.