Saturday, 13 September 2025 is shaping up to be a momentous day.

It’s the first day of Kiama Council’s household bulky waste drop-off program.

If you’re undertaking a spring clean and are not able to reuse, recycle or donate, then we am sure you are extremely excited about the second Saturday in September.

Also, on the calendar for the 13th day of September is 1990s country pop music icon LeAnn Rimes, who is performing one night only in Sydney.

Rimes is of course responsible for karaoke classics “How do I Live”, and “Can’t Fight the Moonlight” and overall reminding us of simpler and easier times.

Or maybe you’re a little less practical and nostalgic and will be completely engaged in the Kiama by-election, where we will elect a new individual to represent our interests in the hallowed halls of the Parliament of NSW.

The farcical scenes of two weeks ago, where there was a possibility that meeting with our local MP would require a trip up the M1 to Cessnock Correctional Centre (during official visiting hours only) have been averted.

Instead, we get to go back to the polls – a full 546 days earlier than we all thought.

While candidates have until next Thursday (28 August) to nominate for the election, it looks like the field of four genuine contenders has all been set with three latecomers also added to the ballot who are highly unlikely to get much of the primary vote in Felix Nelson (Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party), Kyle Napoleoni (Family First) and independent Andrew Thaler.

Labor: Katelin McInerney will be looking to go one better than the 2023 election. Aiming to capitalise on her campaign kick-off with Premier Chris Minns, and the strong and continued popularity of Labor at both a State and Federal level, McInerney is the natural frontrunner.

Liberal: Serena Copley is a former Shoalhaven City Councillor who has been part of the community for more than 30 years. The Liberal Party is coming off an extremely low base of just 12% of the vote in 2023, demonstrating that it will be an uphill battle for Copley and the Liberals.

Community Independent: Kate Dezarnaulds and her supporters might be thinking it’s Groundhog Day as she goes back-to-back after her inaugural hit-out earlier this year for the federal election. Stylising herself as a true independent, backed by the Community Independent Project, Independent for South Coast and Climate 200, she will once again hope that the community’s belief in an independent Council, translates at a state level.

Greens: Dr Tonia Gray, another former Shoalhaven City Councillor, will round out the field for The Greens. Decimated at this year’s Federal election, Dr Gray will be returning to the campaign trail after running fourth in the race for Kiama in 2023.

We will be watching with extreme interest over the next three weeks to understand more about these candidates, their commitments and platforms.

In a refreshing change of pace, it looks all but assured that a woman will represent the electorate of Kiama for the first time in the history of the seat.

No matter who it is, the most important thing is what they stand for.

The Bugle’s View is that they should stand for “more”.

More investment, more focus, more resources, and more for our community.