NSW voters set to go to polls in three by-election

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The Liberals are confident in retaining Hornsby and Epping seats but the Pittwater by-election is proving much tighter with an Independent hoping to turn the seat teal.

Transcript

00:00Few candidates have pounded the Pittwater pavement as much as Jackie Scruby.

00:07It's her second attempt to win here in less than 18 months.

00:11Hi, I'm Jackie. I'm running for state parliament in the by-election. I'm running as an independent.

00:15The former environmental lawyer's been given another shot thanks to the resignation of Liberal MP Rory Amon,

00:21who was charged with child sex offences that he denies.

00:24Independence in a minority government can deliver for their communities,

00:28whereas my opponent will be a backbencher in opposition.

00:31That opponent is former Northern Beaches Deputy Mayor Georgia Ryburn,

00:35who had half the Liberal frontbench supporting her today.

00:38Like Jackie Scruby, she's putting local roads at the top of her to-do list.

00:42We know this is an infrastructure by-election,

00:45and only the Liberals have delivered the key infrastructure here for the Northern Beaches.

00:49But only Jackie Scruby can say she lives in the electorate.

00:52Georgia Ryburn says voters don't seem to mind she's currently living just outside.

00:57They've been asking me, oh, so where do you live?

00:59And I say, Frenchess Forest. They say, oh, so you are a local.

01:02And that's what we do on the beaches. We move from suburb to suburb.

01:05The Pittwater by-election may only decide one seat, but for the Liberals it means a whole lot more.

01:11Losing here would represent a further erosion of the party's power base

01:15in territory that was once considered Liberal heartland.

01:18Since 2019, on the Northern Beaches, the Liberals have lost Warringah and then Mackellar at a federal level,

01:24and they lost the state seat of Wakehurst last year to Independent Michael Regan.

01:28If last year's result is any guide, Jackie Scruby's in a strong position to turn Pittwater teal.

01:34She came within 1% of defeating the Liberal Party at the last election.

01:38And for the by-election, neither the Labor Party nor the Greens have nominated,

01:42so it's going to be a real scrap.

01:44I just think that people here want to see some change,

01:47because it feels like not much has been done.

01:50Georgia has proven herself on Council, particularly as Deputy Mayor.

01:54They'll be campaigning day and night until polls close on Saturday.

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