Pittwater is without an MP following the shock resignation of Rory Amon over allegations of historical child sexual assault.
On Friday 30 August, Police charged Mr Amon with 10 counts of sexual assault of a child alleged to have occurred in Mona Vale in July, 2017. Mr Amon, 35, has rejected the allegations and says he said he would ‘make my case in the courts, not in the media.’ Police said they commenced investigations of an alleged sexual assault in June, 2022, with Strike Force Nooral established in March, 2023 to investigate the incident.
Mr Amon was charged with five counts have sexual intercourse with person over 10 amd under 14, two counts attempt sexual intercourse child over 10 under 14, two counts indecent assault person under 16 years of age and commit act of indecency with person under 16 years.
Despite the fact the State Elections occurred in March last year when the Strike Force was formed, Liberal Party leader Mark Speakman – and former Pittwater MP Rob Stokes – said they had no knowledge of the investigation at the time.
In a statement, Mr Speakman said the charges laid against Mr Amon were ‘extremely serious.’ “The alleged conduct strikes at the heart of the standards expected of members of Parliament,” Mr Speakman said. “Upon learning of these charges, I asked for and received Mr Amon’s immediate resignation from the Liberal Party.
“While Mr Amon is entitled to the presumption of innocence, a criminal trial will be some time away and in the meantime the citizens of Pittwater are entitled to have a member of Parliament who can discharge their duties in the community fully.”
In a statement, Mr Amon said he had resigned on Friday because ‘the nature of the charges against me are such that I will be unable to continue to fully represent my community in parliament.
“As I defend myself against these charges, I will not be able to devote my full energy to representing them.
“Thank you to all those who have supported me. It’s been the greatest honour of my life to represent my community on Northern Beaches Council from September 2017, and as the Member for Pittwater since March 2023.”
The Liberal Party is now looking to preselect another candidate for the Pittwater by-election, likely to occur 19 October along with two other by-elections. Names flouted include Northern Beaches Council deputy mayor Georgia Ryburn, who missed out on running for the local council elections after the party failed to put in all their candidates’ forms.
It is believed that Jacqui Scruby, who ran as an independent in last year’s State Government election for Pittwater, will run again. Ms Scruby came extremely close to defeating Mr Amon at that election. She said in a statement today she was ‘considering’ running again and was ‘taking time now to hear what leadership and representation the people of Pittwater want next.’ Ms Scruby ran with the support of the powerful funding group Climate200, who also supported federal ‘teal’ members of parliament, Sophie Scamps (Mackellar) and Zali Steggall (Warringah).
The MP who Mr Amon replaced, Mr Stokes, ruled out running for the seat today, saying he was honoured to have represented Pittwater for four terms but would not put up his hand again.
Mr Amon was granted strict conditional bail, where he must report to Dee Why Police Station daily, and will appear in Manly Local Court on 18 September.
