Kerry Janten has announced she will contest the St Albans seat as an independent. She says she is dissatisfied with the party system and wants the freedom to address electorate issues without following a party line. Her policy focus includes state debt, cost of living, transport, environment and disability access. Ms Janten will hold a campaign launch on Friday 30 October from 6pm to 9pm at the St Albans Community Centre. She says she wants to hear from a broad range of residents, including homeless people and those whose first language is not English.
Social enterprise leader Kylie Flament is standing as an independent for the NSW state seat of Keira, held by Labor since 2011. The seat is currently held by NSW Health Minister Ryan Park. Flament, who has never held political office, says voters want alternatives to party politics. Her campaign launch drew about 100 people at Corrimal Community Centre on October 17. Her main priorities include hospital wait times and housing. She says her campaign starts with far less funding than the major parties, which receive public money based on past vote tallies.
Georgie Dragwidge, a South Melbourne Market stallholder known as the potato lady, is running again as an independent for the Albert Park seat in the Victorian Parliament. It is her second attempt after winning almost six per cent of the primary vote in 2022. Labor has held the seat since 1950, and sitting MP Nina Taylor is recontesting it. Dragwidge says she will campaign on the cost of living, community safety, mental health services and transport at Fishermans Bend. Her campaign budget is far smaller than those of the major parties.
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Ballina Mayor Sharon Cadwallader has announced she will run as an independent for the NSW seat of Ballina. She made the announcement outside Ballina District Hospital, saying local ratepayers are carrying costs that the state government should meet. She pointed to the $6.3 million SES headquarters, where the council paid $4.2 million and the state paid $2.1 million. Her campaign will focus on health, housing, roads, flood resilience and policing. Former Ballina News Daily publisher Rod Bruem has publicly backed her campaign.
Ballina Shire Mayor Sharon Cadwallader has launched an independent bid for the Ballina seat at the 2027 NSW election, saying she is there to win. The seat is held by retiring Greens MP Tamara Smith, and the Greens have selected Mandy Nolan to defend it. Cadwallader says the electorate is missing out on infrastructure and funding, and that an independent MP could negotiate with whichever party forms government. She said she would remain Mayor during the campaign, as NSW law permits.
