Port Macquarie MP Leslie Williams has announced her retirement, forcing a by-election
Representing both the Liberal and National party during her time in politics, Williams will resign after 14 years in parliament.
Brad Esposito
January 22, 2025
After 14 years in state parliament, NSW Liberal MP Leslie Williams announced on Wednesday she would be resigning less than halfway through her term. The announcement will force a by-election in the seat of Port Macquarie, expected to be held in the coming weeks.
Williams first joined parliament as a Nationals MP, before defecting to the Liberals in 2020. Since then, she has built up a 21 per cent margin, most recently defeating National Party candidate and former Port Macquarie mayor Peta Pinson in 2023.
On Wednesday, Williams told the ABC she decided to step down to be closer to her family in Western Australia. Williams’ husband, Don, passed away in 2022, and the South Australian-born MP said the death had “certainly” given her a new perspective on life.
“I have two beautiful children and they both live in Perth,” she said. “They’ve given me three beautiful grandsons and a granddaughter that is going to be arriving in the very near future.”
In a post on her Facebook page, Williams said it had been an “honour to serve as a local member.”
NSW Opposition leader Mark Speakman told the ABC a new candidate would be selected by a preselection panel mostly made up of local branch members.
Image Credit: Stefanie Menezes / AAP