Politics · Australia · 7 hrs ago
Six NSW Liberal MPs will not contest the next state election
Six NSW Liberal MPs will not seek re-election at the state election in March, including three members of the party’s shadow cabinet.
Mark Coure, the latest to announce his retirement, represents the marginal seat of Oatley in southern Sydney.
He said he wanted more time with his young sons and denied that political risk drove his decision.
The departures leave Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane without decades of experience as the Coalition trails Labor in polling and One Nation gains support.
NSW uses optional preferential voting, so voters can choose to mark only one candidate.
A shift of Liberal votes to One Nation could help Labor win seats by giving it the highest share of first-choice votes.
One Nation leader Mike Newman said the party was recruiting candidates for its remaining 92 seats and had 900 candidates to process.
The election is due on March 13, and the source says the Coalition could still form government if the parties split enough seats and One Nation does not win a majority.
Six New South Wales Liberal MPs will not contest the next state election.
Mark Coure, the third Liberal frontbencher to announce his departure in less than three months, said he would leave parliament.
Alister Henskens and James Griffin announced their departures in September.
Backbenchers Mark Taylor, Ray Williams and Tanya Davies are also not recontesting their seats.
Coure said he wanted to spend more time with his two young sons and denied political risk influenced his decision.
- Who
- Six NSW Liberal MPs, including Mark Coure, Alister Henskens, James Griffin, Mark Taylor, Ray Williams and Tanya Davies.
- What
- They will not contest their seats at the next state election.
- When
- The election is in March; the article does not state the year. Coure announced his decision on Tuesday.
- Where
- New South Wales, Australia.
- Why
- Coure said he wanted to spend more time with his two young sons. Reasons for the other MPs’ decisions are not stated.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Alister Henskens and James Griffin announced they would leave parliament.
Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane said she was increasingly confident the Coalition would form government next year.
Mark Coure announced he would not run again for Oatley at the March election.
- Liberal MPs not recontesting
- 6
- Coure’s seat
- Oatley
- Oatley margin
- 0.8 per cent
- Coure’s time in parliament
- 15 years
- Coure’s children
- 2 young sons
What people are saying
I bucked the trend every election
To walk out undefeated is a feather in my cap.
Yes, I will be.