Ann Sudmalis

Ann Sudmalis MP
Member of the Australian Parliament for Gilmore
Incumbent
Assumed office 7 September 2013
Preceded by	Joanna Gash
Majority	2.65 points
Personal details
Born	16 September 1955 Milton, New South Wales, Australia
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Liberal Party of Australia
Profession	Teacher; politician
Website	annsudmalismp.com.au

Ann Elizabeth Sudmalis (born 16 September 1955) is an Australian politician. She has been a Liberal member of the Australian House of Representatives, representing the Division of Gilmore in New South Wales, since September 2013.^[1]

Early life and education

Sudmalis was born in Milton and trained as a science teacher.^[2]

Career

Political career

Sudmalis has served as a councillor on the Kiama Council and worked as an advisor to Joanna Gash, the Member for Gilmore between 1996 and 2013. At the 2007 New South Wales state election, Sudmalis contested the seat of Kiama, running against Labor incumbent, Matt Brown. She was defeated, gaining 38% of the two-party-preferred vote.^[3]

Following the January 2012 decision of Gash to retire from politics at the 2013 federal election;^[4] Sudmalis won Liberal pre-selection in April 2012;^[5] and was elected as Member for Gilmore with 52.65% of the two-party preferred vote.^[6]

Australian Broadcasting Corporation: In November 2014 it was announced that the Australian government would be reducing the ABC budget by $254 million, in spite of a pre-election promise by Tony Abbott not to cut the ABC's funding.^[7] The ABC managing director, Mark Scott, later announced where the cuts would affect, one area of which was the ABC's Nowra office. Sudmalis released an open letter to Mark Scott declaring his decision "appalling", "deplorable" and that he was "taking the easy way out" by allowing the Nowra branch to be closed and not targeting more cuts to metropolitan areas, appearing to blame Mark Scott for the effect on her electorate.^[8]

Council Amalgamation issue: At the end of 2015, the NSW Liberal Government proposed the forced council amalgamation between Kiama Municipal Council and Shoalhaven City Council. Ann condemned the proposal along with the Liberal State member for Kiama, Gareth Ward. However, at a community meeting in April 2016, she signed a petition that condemned the NSW Baird Government's proposal and would vote against herself and her Liberal state party colleagues (Gareth Ward and Shelley Hancock) at subsequently federal and state elections until the proposal does not go through. She later said she accidentally signed the petition thinking it was an attendance book. The local Liberal party branches had discussed disendorsement.

References

1. "Ann Sudmalis wins Gilmore despite swing against Libs". Kiama Independent / Lake Times. 14 September 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
2. "Ann Sudmalis: Liberal for Gilmore". Liberal Party of Australia. 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
3. Green, Antony. "New South Wales Elections: Analysis of Results" (PDF). NSW Parliamentary Library. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
4. Wright, Jessica (26 January 2012). "After 15 years, MP to swap national for local". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
5. Tonkin, Shannon (22 April 2012). "Ann Sudmalis runs for Gilmore seat". Illawarra Mercury. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
6. "House of Representatives: NSW: Gilmore". Election 2013. Australian Electoral Commission. 13 September 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
7. http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/abc-cuts-malcolm-turnbull-announces-budget-reduction-of-250-million-20141119-11pquv.html
8. http://www.southcoastregister.com.au/story/2717131/update-state-politicians-weigh-into-closure-of-abcs-nowra-office/