WENTWORTH BYELECTION

On Saturday, the long-awaited by-election for the seat of Wentworth, held by the former prime minister, the Hon Malcolm Turnbull, will be taking place. A victory in this seat is crucial for the Government to hold onto its slim majority, and the variation in polling is indicating that the race between the candidates is a close one. Political commentators are speculating that the candidates’ preferencing choices will play a role in the result; the Greens have chosen to preference Labor ahead of independent candidate Dr Kerryn Phelps AM, while she has chosen to preference the Liberals ahead of Labor. There are three main contenders for the seat:

Mr Dave Sharma?—?Liberal Party of Australia

Mr Sharma has already had a prestigious career in the public service. Mr Sharma started in diplomacy, working in Papua New Guinea from 2000 to 2003. After serving as the legal adviser to then foreign affairs minister, the Hon Alexander Downer AC, Mr Sharma was appointed to the Australian Embassy in Washington from 2006 to 2009. He then served as the head of the International Division in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and Assistant Secretary for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Africa Branch, before being appointed the youngest ever ambassador when he was appointed as Ambassador to Israel in 2013. On returning to Australia, he became the co-owner of a consulting and advisory practice, working with technology companies and facilitating investment in Australia.

Mr Tim Murray?—?Australian Labor Party

Mr Murray is an economist and entrepreneur. After winning an Australia-China Council scholarship and working for Austrade, Mr Murray spent much of his career in China, serving as a commodities specialist for an Australian mining company. In 2013, he and his family returned to Sydney and started a

financial services firm. Mr Murray is an active member of the Wentworth community, serving as the President of the Tamarama Surf Lifesaving Club.

Dr Kerryn Phelps AM?—?Independent

Dr Phelps is a businesswoman, health communicator, public health and civil rights advocate, author and media commentator. Beginning her career in health communications, Dr Phelps was then elected president of the New South Wales Branch of the Australian Medical Association in 1999, and then as Federal President one year later. Dr Phelps later became the President of the Australasian Integrative Medicine Association, an Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Sydney and the founder and principal clinician at Sydney Integrative Medicine. In 2016, Dr Phelps was elected to the Council of the City of Sydney, and went on to serve as the Deputy Lord Mayor of the Council until July 2017.

Those involved in the campaign are likely to have a nervous wait on Saturday evening, with polling suggesting the results are likely to take some time to finalise.