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Louise Kingston

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The Honourable
Louise Kingston
MLC
Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council for South West Region
Incumbent
Assumed office
19 September 2023
Preceded byJames Hayward
Personal details
Born
Louise Maree Kingston

(1965-06-08) 8 June 1965 (age 59)
Albany, Western Australia[1]
Political partyIndependent (since 2024)
Other political
affiliations		Nationals (2015–2024)
ResidenceManjimup[2]

Louise Kingston (born 8 June 1965)[3] is an Australian politician serving as a member of the Western Australian Legislative Council to represent the South West Region.

Early life and career

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Kingston was born in Albany. She previously worked as the state secretary of Timber Communities Australia,[4][5] and as an executive officer for the Small Business Centre and the Warren Blackwood Alliance of Councils.[5] Before being elected, Kingston worked as the manager of the Manjimup Community Resource Centre.[1][4][6] She also ran an engineering business and farm with her husband.[2][6][5]

Previous elections

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Kingston joined the Nationals in 2015,[3] and first stood for election at the 2017 state election in second place on the Nationals ticket for the South West region of the Legislative Council.[7] At the 2019 federal election, Kingston ran for the Senate in third place on the Nationals ticket.[8] She ran in the second place on the Nationals ticket for the South West region of the Legislative Council at the 2021 state election, but was not elected.[2][1]

Politics

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Although Kingston was unsuccessful at the 2021 election, fellow Nationals candidate James Hayward did win the seat, but was convicted in August 2023 of child sex offences, disqualifying him from parliament.[4] After his disqualification, a recount was to be performed to determine the next most popular candidate.[1][6] The recount was performed by the Western Australian Electoral Commission on 19 September 2023, resulting in Kingston's election.[5][9] She was sworn in on 28 September 2023.[10]

Kingston was immediately elevated to the shadow cabinet as the shadow minister for climate action and shadow minister for regional cities.[11][12] Following the defection of Merome Beard from the Nationals to the Liberals, Kingston also took up the tourism portfolio.[13]

In June 2024, Kingston was preselected for fifth place on the National Party's Legislative Council ticket for the 2025 state election: considering a party would need to receive 13% of the vote for their fifth-placed candidate to be elected, far above the Nationals's recent electoral results, Kingston's position was considered unwinnable.[14][15] However, Kingston resigned from the party later the same month, citing "relentless bullying and harassment" from party leader Shane Love, and alleged that her unfavourable preselection was the result of a deliberate campaign to punish her.[15][16] Love and the party's administration denied Kingston's allegations, suggesting that her resignation was motivated only by her poor performance in preselection.[17][18]

Personal life

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Kingston moved to Manjimup in 2001.[5] She is married, with four children and three grandchildren.[2][1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Hastie, Hamish (29 August 2023). "The woman set to replace disgraced WA MP convicted of child abuse". WAtoday. Perth: Nine Entertainment Co. Archived from the original on 20 September 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d Le May, Rebecca (20 September 2023). "Louise Kingston elected to fill upper house seat vacated by disgraced former National MP James Hayward". The West Australian. Perth: Seven West Media. p. 4. ISSN 0312-6323. Archived from the original on 20 September 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Hon Louise Maree Kingston". Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia. Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Bourke, Keane (29 August 2023). "James Hayward makes history after being forced from office as an MP for child sex crimes". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 19 September 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d e Zaunmayr, Tom (8 September 2023). "Recount date confirmed to replace Hayward". Business News. Perth. Archived from the original on 20 September 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  6. ^ a b c Dietsch, Jake; Zimmerman, Josh (29 August 2023). "Louise Kingston poised to replace disgraced former MP James Hayward for WA Nationals". The West Australian. Perth: Seven West Media. ISSN 0312-6323. Archived from the original on 29 August 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  7. ^ "The Nationals WA announce South West Region team". The Nationals WA (Press release). 30 April 2016. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  8. ^ Zaunmayr, Tom (17 February 2019). "WA Nationals reveal candidates for 2019 Election tilt". Pilbara News. Karratha: Seven West Media. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  9. ^ McGinn, Jack (19 September 2023). "Nationals welcome Hayward replacement". Business News. Perth. Archived from the original on 20 September 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  10. ^ Le May, Rebecca (28 September 2023). "Louise Kingston officially sworn in as WA's new Nationals MP, replaces disgraced offender James Hayward". The West Australian. Perth: Seven West Media. ISSN 0312-6323. Archived from the original on 1 October 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  11. ^ Zaunmayr, Tom (4 October 2023). "Kingston straight into shadow cabinet". Business News. Perth. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  12. ^ "Opposition Leader announces new Shadow Minister roles". The Nationals WA (Press release). 5 October 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  13. ^ Dietsch, Jake (7 November 2023). "Merome Beard steps down from shadow tourism portfolio after defecting from Nationals to Liberals". The West Australian. Perth: Seven West Media. ISSN 0312-6323. Archived from the original on 18 November 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  14. ^ Lane, Oliver (13 June 2024). "Kingston faces mountain-climb for re-election amid Nationals' major Upper House threat". South Western Times. Bunbury: Seven West Media. Archived from the original on 20 June 2024. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  15. ^ a b Bourke, Keane (20 June 2024). "Louise Kingston resigns from WA Nationals after accusing leader Shane Love of bullying and harassment". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  16. ^ Zimmerman, Josh (20 June 2024). Dore, Christopher (ed.). "Nationals' Louise Kingston sensationally quits her party, accuses Opposition Leader Shane Love of bullying". The West Australian. Perth: Seven West Media. ISSN 0312-6323. Archived from the original on 20 June 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  17. ^ Crouch, John (21 June 2024). "Shane Love denies bullying fellow Nationals MP". The Age. Melbourne: Nine Entertainment. ISSN 0312-6307. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  18. ^ Bourke, Keane (21 June 2024). "WA Opposition Leader Shane Love denies bullying former Nationals colleague Louise Kingston". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
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