The Kiama by-election on 13 September was the second one the Legalise Cannabis NSW Party has contested since the 2023 state election.

As with the Port Macquarie contest back in March, Kiama was another chance for us to test our support in a regional electorate.

Our candidate, Don Fuggle—one of the founders of the Federal Party—did a fantastic job. With 13 candidates in the field, Don came fifth, securing a strong result of over 5% of first preferences.

In parts of the electorate our support was particularly strong. Booths in the northern suburbs around Albion Park, just south of Wollongong, reported an average of around 10%, with the booth staffed by Don and his tireless campaign manager Maria recording more than 11.5%.

By-elections are always challenging for minor parties, and Kiama was no exception. The stakes were high: Premier Chris Minns visited the seat eight times during the campaign to shore up Labor’s minority government, while the Liberals threw everything into trying to win it back after the resignation of former MP Gareth Ward.

The contest gave us a platform to push our message that NSW must urgently reform road traffic laws and treat cannabis like any other medicine—if you aren’t impaired, you shouldn’t lose your licence.

Every campaign builds our profile —especially with the NSW election around 18 months away.

Our campaign was powered by a small but dedicated team of volunteers. To everyone who handed out how-to-vote cards on the day, volunteered during the campaign, or spread the word online—thank you.