Kiama Labor candidate Katelin McInerney had a cheeky question for the Liberal candidate, Melanie Gibbons, as she arrived to watch the election ballot draw on Thursday: "Did you find it OK?".
News had broken on Tuesday night that the ousted Holsworthy MP from Sydney's south west was looking to carry on her political career in the NSW south coast seat.
"Yes, yes, I'm very familiar with the area, been here many times," Ms Gibbons responded as she took a seat in a small, partitioned area of the Albion Park Rail warehouse being used by the NSW Election Commission.
All eyes watched for the interaction between Ms Gibbons and the man the premier had sent her to defeat: her long-time friend, former Liberal minister and now independent MP for Kiama, Gareth Ward.
When Mr Ward was appointed minister for families and communities and disability services in 2019, he requested Ms Gibbons be his parliamentary secretary.
Mr Ward, who has held the seat for 12 years, was suspended from parliament at the end of May when he refused to resign after being charged with historic sexual assault offences.
He has strenuously denied the allegations.
His suspension from parliament expired when the NSW parliament was prorogued last month, ahead of the state election on March 25.
After nominations closed at midday on Wednesday, the Liberal party released a 37-second, pre-recorded video of Premier Dominic Perrottot to media in the Illawarra confirming he "asked Mel to run".
"She is a dedicated and very experienced representative," Mr Perrottet said.
Questions about the Liberal Party's failure to find a candidate for the seat have troubled the premier for most of the campaign, with Labor leader Chris Minns arguing the absence of a candidate was "tacit" endorsement of Mr Ward.
While repeatedly saying he would not accept Mr Ward's vote in the case of a minority government, on Monday the premier went even further when he told reporters in Sydney he would support a fresh motion to suspend him "if that situation is not resolved".
The comments were condemned by veteran South Coast Liberal campaigner Mark Croxford.
"I was deeply shocked and offended by those remarks because it shows a lack of respect for the well-established legal principle that you are innocent until proven guilty," he said.
"And it is also denying the will of the people of the Kiama electorate to have Mr Ward represent them."
Mr Croxford, who is a close friend of Mr Ward, said he did not know if he would face internal party sanction for speaking out on the issue.
"If they expel me over a stand on legal principles it is going to make a very good story," he said.
Preference deals 'for party to decide'
Another senior Liberal told the ABC local branch members felt "blindsided" by the premier's decision to drop in Ms Gibbons as a candidate.
Several Liberal members are seeking permission from the party to campaign on behalf of Mr Ward.
The premier said he had not been made aware of those requests.
On Thursday after the ballot had been drawn, reporters made a beeline for the new Liberal candidate to ask questions.
Ms Gibbons said she was running because "the community needs a strong Liberal voice in the area".
She confirmed Mr Perrottet had convinced her to run but would not reveal details of persuasive conversation.
Ms Gibbons clarified she lived 84 kilometres from the seat and would "put the house on the market" and move to it if she won, adding it was "very easy to move".
As for preference deals, Ms Gibbons said, "That's for the party to decide and for Gareth and I".
When asked about her friendship with Mr Ward, Ms Gibbons said it remained.
"Gareth and I are fine," she said.
Mr Ward said he welcomed all comers to the democratic contest.
"No one person or party 'owns' a seat in parliament, and I trust the judgement of our local people," he said in a statement.
On Saturday the Liberal Party clarified it would be advocating for Kiama voters to just vote 1 for Ms Gibbons.
