Sydney mother challenges Liberal seat following son's hospital death

Kellie Sloane and the NSW Liberals face a fresh challenge ahead of the March election, with Elouise Massa announcing she will contest the seat of Manly as an independent.It comes just days after Liberal frontbencher James Griffin revealed he would not recontest the northern beaches seat.Ms Massa already has a high profile in the community, having successfully spearheaded a campaign to transfer Northern Beaches Hospital to public hands, following the death of her son Joe in 2024.Toddle Joe Massa died in 2024. (Supplied)A review identified multiple failures in the two-year-old's treatment and the Massa family's campaign also resulted in a new system by which families can escalate concerns over a child's care.It also led to "Joe's Law" which bans future public-private partnerships in major hospitals.Ms Massa said her family's campaign had shown her what can happen when "courage in the community is met by people in government who genuinely listen and act"."I am not the same person I was before Joe died," she said."Creating meaningful change has become a vocation."It's my way of saying thank you to our community for backing [my husband] Danny and me through our campaigns."The Massa family's advocacy was credited with helping transfer Northern Beaches Hospital back to public hands. (ABC News: Abbey Haberecht)The former journalist from North Balgowlah said people have stopped her in the street and told her to "keep going"."This is how I want to keep going, by listening, discerning, and taking our community's voice to parliament."Ms Massa said she planned to advocate for the environment, equality and integrity in NSW parliament."Over the past two years we have saved lives and the reforms we have driven within government because I'm a strong community advocate, [who] is going to continue to make change," she said.Liberals risk losing more territoryThe seat of Manly has been held by The Liberal Party for almost 20 years, after it was won by former premier Mike Baird.However, between 1991 and 2007 it was held by independent MPs — first Peter Macdonald and then David Barr.At a federal level, the Manlyarea is represented by teal independent Zali Steggall, who unseated former prime minister Tony Abbott in the seat of Warringah in 2019.In April, Northern Beaches Hospital officially transferred to public ownership. (ABC News: Liam Patrick)The Liberals are yet to announce their candidate to replace Mr Griffin in Manly, but the party is expected to campaign hard to keep a foothold on the northern beaches.In 2024, independent Jacqui Scruby won the seat of Pittwater from the Liberals in a by-election.A year earlier, independent Michael Regan won the seat of Wakehurst in the general election.Ms Massa said an independent would better serve the needs of the community, vowing to campaign on issues like healthcare, housing and transport."I've seen what happens when nobody is held accountable and I've seen what can happen when a community demands better," she said."I'm running because the Member for Manly should answer to the people who live here, not to a party room."