A Liberal deputy mayor will be tasked with saving a heartland seat for her party after the shock resignation of a former MP over child sex offence allegations.
Management consultant and Northern Beaches deputy mayor Georgia Ryburn has been selected as the Liberals' candidate for next month's Pittwater by-election.
She will try to hold off an independent who got within 606 votes of victory at the last poll.
Ms Ryburn was a victim of the Liberal Party's calamitous failure to nominate candidates for a stack of councils at upcoming local government elections, but will turn her attention to saving the previously safe Pittwater seat.
Environmental lawyer Jacqui Scruby announced last week she would again contest the seat, after triggering a colossal 22 per cent swing on Sydney's well-heeled northern beaches at the 2023 state election.
The by-election follows incumbent Rory Amon's shock arrest and resignation from parliament, having been charged with sexually abusing a boy in 2017, allegations he denies.
Sydney's northern beaches have long been considered Liberal heartland, but now features three independents at state and federal level.
Ms Ryburn argued that only her party had a track record of fighting and delivering for the people of Pittwater.
“Our community needs someone who’ll stand up for our unique character and heritage and put local and community decision-making first,” she said.
“The independents in the NSW parliament have failed to do this, they won’t stand up to Labor, allowing (Premier) Chris Minns to impose his one-size-fits-all planning changes which will see our communities voiceless.”
The Pittwater by-election will take place on October 19, the same date as votes for two other formerly Liberal-held seats.
The party has already nominated candidates for Epping and Hornsby, vacated by the quick-fire resignations of ex-premier Dominic Perrottet and ex-treasurer Matt Kean.
