Western Australian politician
Merome Beard is an Australian politician, representing the electoral district of North West Central in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly since 17 September 2022. She was elected as a member of the National Party , but she resigned from the party on 31 October 2023 and she intends to join the Liberal Party .
Early life and career
Beard is a great-great-granddaughter of Sir Thomas Cockburn-Campbell , the first president of the Western Australian Legislative Council in 1890.[ 2]
She competed as a rower at the Australian Institute of Sport and went to the 1994 World Championships.[ 3]
Beard and her husband have owned and ran the Port Hotel in Carnarvon for over twenty years.[ 3] [ 4]
Political career
In late June 2022, Beard was selected by the National Party to contest the 2022 North West Central state by-election for them, after incumbent member Vince Catania announced his plans to retire.[ 1] [ 3] Liberal Party candidate Will Baston, with the Labor Party not fielding a candidate.[ 5]
Beard won the by-election, which took place on 17 September 2022.[ 6]
On 31 October 2023, Beard resigned from the National Party. She intends to join the Liberal Party , which would put the National and Liberal parties at three seats each in the Legislative Assembly, potentially causing a change in the leader of the opposition , which is currently Nationals leader Shane Love .[ 7] [ 8]
References
^ a b Hastie, Hamish (29 June 2022). "Carnarvon pub owner picked to defend Nationals' most marginal WA seat" . WAtoday . Retrieved 13 July 2022 . ^ Law, Peter (17 October 2022). "Merome Beard: Descendant of pioneering politician and newspaper editor takes seat in Legislative Assembly" . The West Australian . Retrieved 26 October 2022 . ^ a b c Pin, Phoebe (29 June 2022). "Carnarvon businesswomen Merome 'Mem' Beard endorsed as Nationals WA candidate for North West Central" . The Geraldton Guardian . West Australian Newspapers. Retrieved 13 July 2022 . ^ "Merome Beard" . Nationals WA . Retrieved 17 September 2022 .^ Ferguson, Kate (10 September 2022). "Voters in North West Central still want to know why WA government isn't fielding a candidate" . ABC News . Retrieved 17 September 2022 . ^ Ferguson, Kate; Carmody, James (17 September 2022). "Western Australian Nationals candidate Merome Beard named winner in North West Central by-election" . ABC News . Retrieved 17 September 2022 . ^ Zimmerman, Josh (31 October 2023). "Nationals MP Mem Beard defects to Liberals in move that opens door to Libby Mettam becoming Opposition Leader" The West Australian . Retrieved 31 October 2023 . ^ Carmody, James; Perpitch, Nicolas (31 October 2023). "Nationals MP Merome Beard quits party to join Liberals, throwing opposition alliance into doubt" . ABC News . Retrieved 31 October 2023 .