Nationals welcome Hayward replacement

The WA Nationals have formally welcomed Louise Kingston as the upper house replacement for disgraced former MP James Hayward, who was disqualified from parliament late last month.

Manjimup resident Ms Kingston was today formally welcomed as a member of the Legislative Council representing the South West, after a formal recount of votes by the WA Electoral Commission.

Ms Kingston ran second on the WA Nationals ticket at the 2021 state election and was previously listed as a manager on the Manjimup Community Resources Centre website in a now-removed profile.

Her family runs an engineering business and a small farm.

The appointment was welcomed by Nationals WA leader Shane Love, who said Ms Kingston would be a strong voice for local communities.

“Louise has lived in the South West all her life and brings a wealth of experience as a small business owner and community organiser,” he said.

“She holds an unwavering commitment to representing the interests of her community.”

Ms Kingston said she was excited to be joining the Nationals and would advocate for local communities.

“Having worked in various fields throughout my career, including building a successful business in Manjimup, I will be fighting for local businesses, local farmers and local families,” she said.

Ms Kingston’s appointment will return the WA Nationals to three seats in the upper house.

Her appointment comes after Mr Hayward was found guilty of two counts of indecent dealings with a child under 13, a verdict which made him ineligible to hold his seat in parliament.

He had previously resigned from the party but remained in the parliament as an independent MP.

The upper house seat Ms Kingston occupies will be abolished at the next election as a result of changes to the electoral system.