Sonia Hornery Announces Retirement From Wallsend After 20 Years
Sonia Hornery will retire as the Member for Wallsend before the March election, contributing to a wave of veteran departures in the New South Wales Parliament.
Member for Wallsend Sonia Hornery announced she will retire and not contest the New South Wales state election in March. Hornery has represented the seat for 20 years and was one of only two Hunter Labor MPs to survive the 2011 election wipeout. She will remain in office until the election, though the Australian Labor Party has not yet named a successor.
NSW Premier Chris Minns praised Hornery as a fierce local member who remained dedicated to her community. Despite Wallsend being Labor's safest seat with a 31.8 per cent margin, party officials and One Nation sources suggest the seat could become a battleground due to Hornery's personal popularity.
Hornery's departure is part of a broader trend of veteran retirements ahead of the March election. Other departing members include Liberal MP Mark Coure, who will not recontest the marginal seat of Oatley, and Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty Minister David Harris, who is exiting the seat of Wyong. Liberal frontbenchers James Griffin and Alister Henskens are also leaving parliament.
These exits come as NSW Labor officials warn that the rise of One Nation could lead to the loss of over a dozen seats and potentially remove the party from government.
