Ann Sudmalis (Gilmore, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I first thank the Minister for Health, the Hon. Greg Hunt, for facilitating the continuing funding for One Door in Ulladulla. This is an essential service in my region, providing a range of mental health support services for women and families in particular. One of their mantras to their clients is: 'Are you okay?' Another group which is rarely asked, 'Are you okay?' is politicians. I would ask here that those who feel inspired to be spiteful, angry, insulting and gutless, because they're using their keyboards, to have a think before pressing the send button. How would you feel if you received the email you're about to send?

Politics is a place where if you do not have great resilience the actions of others can impact on your mental health. Bullying, betrayal and backstabbing have been the hallmarks of one of my state Liberal colleagues Gareth Ward over the past six and a half years. In fact, I have endured the trifecta: a sour grapes defeated preselection candidate Andrew Guile, the plotting and manipulation of both people and numbers by Gareth and the reporting by the local editor of Fairfax—which I see as 'Biasfax'—John Hanscombe. Between them I have been misrepresented in all manner of media in a continuing barrage of actions from April 2012.

Many people will have heard rumours about my intentions for the election next year. In the first instance, let me make the following claim. Scott Morrison, apart from being the new Prime Minister, is someone I see as a friend. He is a man of integrity and he is absolutely passionate about the long-term progress and vision for Australia. For that reason alone, I endeavoured to hold my decision in private until after the Wentworth by-election. Unfortunately, that is now not possible.

I have asked the Prime Minister to acknowledge the withdrawal of my nomination for the seat of Gilmore. I want to make it abundantly clear that my decision has nothing to do with the leadership of Scott. My decision does, however, has everything to do with the NSW state division and their lack of action, and the combined undermining actions as outlined by the revenge motivated trifecta surrounding me locally. It is the state division level where I have had little or no support during the past six months while waiting for the preselection process, which should have been determined before now.

On the local scene since the day of winning preselection in 2012, the local, self-determined senior Liberal has been leaking damaging material to the media and having publicity stunts that are completely against federal policy initiatives. And more recently he approached friends asking me to nominate my retirement date and then he'd call off his people.

The final straw came when this same state MP, after stacking my branches completely, rolled my supportive FEC committee at the AGM, installing people who have never been part of a federal campaign. The FEC committee is central to winning an election. This is not the first time that Gareth has flexed his vengeance on strong Liberal women. He doesn't just get even; he annihilates anyone who opposes him.

In 2016 Gareth worked the numbers and denied a priority position for a strong Liberal woman Kellie Marsh, a local and effective councillor. She ran independently and won a place on the Shellharbour council. That same year Gareth, while helping his friend Andrew Guile get back on to the Shoalhaven City Council, worked on the booths handing out for the independent team, knowing their preferences for the mayor would all go to the Greens candidate and not to Jo Gash, also a strong Liberal woman. Despite her winning the primary count she was defeated. Then when nominations were called for the seat of Gilmore, Gareth's friends Paul Ell and Adam Straney strangely decided to nominate against me while Andrew Guile actively encouraged Grant Schulz to do the same.

Was I doing a lousy job? No. Only if you ask the local Labor member and even some of them think I'm doing an okay job. Was it because they thought I'd lose the last election? Hardly. When I had the confidence of the former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and the current Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, openly stating on national television their support for me. This was all about Gareth's narcissistic revenge planned and plotted.

I have decided that enough is enough. After seeing the betrayal of amazing and dedicated committee members, who are now being contacted by the new committee members asking for help, the whole scenario is pathetic. Who was this about? Certainly not the people who elected me. It was about ego driven ambition, bullying and betrayal and my local position is completely untenable.

I will work right through the term for the people who elected me. This has been and will continue to be the reason I do this job. I will continue to lobby for my dairy farmers. I still have a great deal of work to do. I will not be distracted by boys who should know better, men who know better and do nothing or women who are manipulated by false information.

I'm concerned that the media will interpret my decision as a reflection on the leadership of Scott Morrison. If they do, they will be lying. Scott truly is a good man. In the end I will always ask people, 'Are you okay?' and I will mean it. I'll do everything I can to help them. Some of my friends will ask me if I am okay. Absolutely, yes. I've had five years working for others in the capacity of a federal member. It has been a privilege and I thank you.

House adjourned at 20:00