Two local heavyweights in high-stakes Greens showdown

TWO of the Byron Shire’s highest-profile figures – comedian Mandy Nolan and Byron Shire mayor Sarah Ndiaye – are set for a high-stakes showdown to succeed retiring Greens MP for Ballina Tamara Smith at next year’s NSW government election.

Smith made history in 2015 when she became the first woman to win the seat of Ballina, the first regional Greens MP elected to an Australian legislative assembly, and the first Greens lower house MP in the country to unseat a National Party incumbent.

She announced she had made the “difficult decision” to step aside at the 2027 election earlier this month, saying she wanted to spend more time with her family and pursue environmental and community work outside parliament. She will remain the local Member for Ballina until voters head to the polls in March.

Nolan, who previously contested the federal seat of Richmond for the Greens against Labor MP Justine Elliot, quickly declared her intention to seek preselection for Ballina.

But in an ABC radio interview over the weekend, Ndiaye revealed she would also enter the race, setting up a competitive contest for the party nomination. Ballina councillor Kiri Dicker, who is community impact manager for the Northern Rivers Community Foundation, is also expected to nominate.

The Greens preselection ballot will be decided by local branch members across the Ballina and Byron shires, with the party expected to publish the final candidate list on its website.

Ballina deputy mayor and former detective Damian Loone is widely expected to be the sole nominee for Nationals preselection.