Greens Member for Ballina Tamara Smith says she will not be contesting next year’s state election, after holding the seat of Ballina for the past eleven years.
The local Greens MP did not include a specific reason for what she said was a difficult decision in Friday’s announcement via media release, other than to say she looked forward to more family time.
Ms Smith has won the past three state elections in the seat of Ballina for the Greens, taking over from the National Party when the conservative party’s popular long-serving member, Donald Page, retired after serving for 27 years.
The Greens member won the primary vote in the Ballina electorate in her third and most recent state election in 2023, leaving a strong legacy and challenge in terms of numbers for future aspiring candidates.
She was quoted on Friday saying she was ‘absolutely confident’ the party could retain the seat of Ballina in 2027’s election but did not name a future candidate.
No matter which party wins government next year, a strong local representative was needed, she said , ‘to hold them to account’.
‘Not just a mouthpiece for the old parties held hostage by factions, or someone pushing hate and division,’ she said.
Big Ballina boots for the Greens to try filling
It was an historic win for The Greens when Tamara Smith was first elected to the seat of Ballina in 2015.
She was the first Greens lower house candidate to take a seat held by the National Party anywhere in Australia.
It was also the party’s first time winning a regional seat in the NSW Legislative Assembly and the first time a woman was elected to the seat of Ballina.
Ms Smith is credited for expanding the Ballina seat margin for the Greens at each of her three winning elections, and is the only Greens MP in NSW to have been elected Chair of a Joint Standing Parliamentary Committee.
The Member for Ballina currently serves as Chair of the NSW Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on the Office of the Valuer General.
Ballina MP credits ‘politics of diplomacy’ for local progress
‘It has been the privilege of my life to serve as the Member for Ballina,’ Ms Smith was quoted saying, ‘and to dedicate myself to the betterment of our communities and the planet during that time.’
The Ballina MP said she was proud to have led the local community in recovery from multiple natural disasters and the pandemic in a ‘bi-partisan and collaborative way’.
‘The politics of diplomacy is the only way to deliver results as a member of a minor party, in a marginal seat, in a regional area,’ Ms Smith said.
During the heights of pandemic restrictions, in particular, the three most northern state elected members across the Northern Rivers, representing The Nationals, Labor and The Greens, often publicly joined forces across the political spectrum to advocate for the region.
The Greens MP said she had delivered more schools, roads, bridges, pre-schools, Emergency Services infrastructure, nurses, teachers, and paramedics in her time than her predecessor had delivered in 27 years.
Ms Smith also paid special tribute to her constituents, saying it had ‘never felt like work’ helping thousands of locals.
‘I am so grateful to our community, and I thank them for placing their trust in me and I believe we have shown that a Greens MP in a regional seat can deliver real results for their community,’ she said.
Smith promises passion ‘outside of the parliament’
Ms Smith said after fiercely advocating for the most vulnerable and ‘bringing truth to power about the threat of global warming to humanity, our wildlife, and wild places,’ she looked forward to ‘continuing that passion outside of the parliament’ and dedicating more time to her family.
‘I want to thank my family and friends who have been my solace from the storm that is modern politics,’ she said, ‘my staff over many years, my fellow Greens MPs, the members of the Byron and Ballina Greens.’
‘Every single person who has been a part of our campaigns over the years.’
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