<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Labor and the Liberals have announced their picks to contest the NSW seat of Kiama, after convicted long-standing MP </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/gareth-ward-convicted-kiama-mp-resigns-from-parliament-moments-before-expulsion-vote/377e8200-468a-4985-9c99-c3c4ddc1ab5e" rel="" target="_blank" title="Gareth Ward resigned just moments before parliament was set to expel him"><span>Gareth Ward resigned just moments before parliament was set to expel him</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Ward's abrupt resignation from behind bars on August 8 triggered a byelection for September 13.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Premier Chris Minns has endorsed policy and community advocate Katelin McInerney as the Labor candidate for Kiama.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/western-australia-surrogacy-reforms-mitchell-and-james-werent-able-to-pursue-starting-a-family-until-today/4429d2a7-a3aa-4a98-bc63-989e2fd89c38"><strong><span>Mitchell and James are ready to start a family. Until now, one state wouldn't let them</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Her career has been dedicated to standing up for people and their livelihoods," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This will be a tough seat for Labor to win, but Katelin knows her community, she understands their priorities, and she will work tirelessly to deliver for them."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>McInerney ran for Kiama at the 2023 election and lost to Ward by a little over 2300 votes.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/nsw-kiama-byelection-labor-liberal-announce-candidates-to-replace-gareth-ward/184b379e-58e5-46fb-9ef6-df44d0643916" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Ward, who had held Kiama since snatching it from Labor under the Liberal banner in 2011, retained the seat as an independent despite facing charges in court.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Minns said Labor's chances of winning the seat felt "like Everest" but he would take "absolutely nothing for granted".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/how-donald-trump-and-vladimir-putin-relationship-evolved-since-first-meeting/828750e8-51ad-49a2-9236-6786230f1267"><strong><span>How Trump and Putin's relationship has evolved since they first met</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Liberal Party has thrown its support behind Shoalhaven City Councillor Serena Copley as its candidate.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She also conceded just how difficult the upcoming byelection will be, after the Liberals managed to pull only 12 per cent of the votes at the 2023 election. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I am under no illusion how hard this contest will be, but I'm in it to win and to give the people of Kiama a strong and effective voice in the NSW parliament," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"However you look at it, Labor have failed to deliver for Kiama.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"They don't understand regional NSW and unfortunately, it is local families, households and small businesses that are paying the price."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Local businesswoman Kate Dezarnaulds is also running for Kiama as an independent.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/emma-lovell-teen-home-invasion-killers-sentence-reduced-on-appeal/b0c29ff4-b72d-4cc7-ae3e-18dc2328e34f"><strong><span>Teen home invasion killer's sentence reduced on appeal</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Ward resigned after losing his last-minute legal challenge to block his colleagues in NSW parliament from voting on an expulsion for the first time in 107 years.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>His lawyers tried to argue that his four sex convictions were not enough to expel him from parliament under "unworthy behaviour" provisions.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Ward is currently in jail after being found guilty in July of incidents against two young men in 2013 and 2015.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He is currently awaiting sentencing for sexually assaulting an intoxicated political staffer after a midweek event in the state's parliament in 2015. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Technically, he could run again at the by-election if he chose to do so.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>Support is available from the</span></strong><span> </span><strong><span>National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service</span></strong><span> </span><strong><span>at</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.1800respect.org.au/" title="https://www.1800respect.org.au/"><strong><span>1800RESPECT (1800 737 732)</span></strong></a><strong><span>.</span></strong></div></div>