While no-one would begrudge Mike Kelly stepping away from his MP role for significant health reasons, it opens up a can of worms across all three tiers of government.
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A federal election was only held 12 months ago and the next not due until 2022. Therefore a by-election for the federal seat of Eden-Monaro will need to take place, with potential candidates already jockeying for pre-selection.
A date for that by-election has yet to be decided, but Speaker of the House of Representatives Tony Smith announced he is already considering the matter, with the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) providing advice on feasible dates.
On this occasion the AEC will also need to consider the additional logistical and public health challenges presented by the coronavirus in conducting the by-election.
It appears a foregone conclusion that both NSW Deputy Premier and Monaro MP John Barilaro, and Bega Valley Mayor Kristy McBain will contest the seat, against a likely Liberal candidate in Fiona Kotvojs or Jim Molan, a Greens candidate, and an unknown number of other minor parties.
READ ALSO: Mike Kelly's 'agonising' decision to resign
First the council
Kristy McBain has already resigned from her mayoral role, forgoing any further mayoral allowances and vehicle. She has made known her intentions to remain as an active councillor during the election campaign.
Local government elections across NSW were scheduled for September 2020, but were postponed a year due to coronavirus impacts. However, the BVSC mayoral term will still expire on September 16.
According to BVSC general manager Leanne Barnes, current deputy mayor Sharon Tapscott will act as mayor in the short term.
It will be a very short term, as Ms Barnes confirmed on Friday that an extraordinary meeting is being called for Wednesday, May 6, to elect a new mayor.
Cr Tapscott may choose to stand for that position, and if she gains it, the role of deputy mayor will also be decided upon in that same meeting.
The elected duo will see out the remaining five months before the scheduled mayoral election in September.
Then whomever is elected to the role in September would take the Bega Valley through to the local government elections in 2021.
Under federal legislation, if Ms McBain were to win the Eden-Monaro by-election, she is still entitled to remain as a councillor should she wish to.
Ms Barnes said, technically, she could remain as mayor is she wanted to, but had chosen to resign the role so as not to confuse the process of governing Bega Valley.
The NSW Local Government Act differs in that any councillor successful in attaining a seat in state parliament can remain as a councillor only until the end of their current term, but cannot re-contest.
State of play
Should John Barilaro be successful in claiming Eden-Monaro, voters in the state seat of Monaro would be expected to head to the polls in another by-election in coming months.
Again, it's been a touch over 12 months since we voted for our state reps, with the next election slated for March 2023.
Adding an additional layer of confusion into the mix is the as-yet-unclear position of current Member for Bega Andrew Constance.
State MP Mr Constance recently stated a desire to step down from politics once the bushfire recovery process was complete in his home region. He has appeared a changed man since the Black Summer blazes that tore through the entire electorate, including his neighbour's home and very nearly his own.
However, Mr Constance's name has since been bandied about as a potential Liberal contender for Eden-Monaro, as has Senator Jim Molan's.
Mr Constance does not currently reside within the Eden-Monaro boundary, although that has never stopped politicians previously with parties happy to "parachute in" their favoured candidate should they feel it worthwhile.
On the other hand, Mr Constance's name has also been raised in relation to a tilt at the seat of Gilmore - in which he does live - once the official federal election rolls around, in or before 2022.
Hypothetically, if Mr Constance ran and was successful in Eden-Monaro, then Bega of course would be required to undertake a by-election. If he leaves it until the actual elections are called to make his future known, then we can all put our pencils down for the moment.
