Ross Kerridge

Kerridge joined the New South Wales Labor Party at age 18. He was present at Blacktown when prime minister Gough Whitlam launched the 1974 election campaign and at the Sydney Opera House in 1987 when Bob Hawke committed that no child should live in poverty.^[3]

Kerridge stood as the Territory Labor candidate for the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly seat of Braitling at the 1983 general election.

In February 2024, Kerridge nominated and lost Labor preselection for the position of Lord Mayor to the incumbent, Nuatali Nelmes.^[6] On 19 July 2024, Kerridge submitted a letter of resignation to the Labor Party to contest the Lord Mayoralty of the City of Newcastle at the impending local government election. Labor's Administrative Committee did not accept the resignation and instead, on 23 August 2024, expelled Kerridge and other Labor members that stood on Kerridge's council ticket.^[7] Kerridge told the Newcastle Herald that he was "unsurprised" he had been expelled, and "accepted it was party rules". At the time of his resignation letter and subsequent expulsion, Kerridge was a life member of NSW Labor Party.^[8]

At the 2024 New South Wales local elections, Kerridge stood as a candidate for Lord Mayor, under the banner 'Our Newcastle'. He campaigned and publicly stated that he continues to support the current state and federal Labor politicians in Newcastle.^[9][10] He received 35,350 primary votes, amounting to 34.47%. In the two-candidate-preferred count, he defeated the incumbent Lord Mayor, Nuatali Nelmes, with 51.68% of the vote compared to her 48.32%. Nelmes conceded defeat by emailing Kerridge on 17 September 2024.^[1]

Following the 2024 New South Wales local elections 'Our Newcastle' was established as an incorporated association in January 2025, of which Kerridge was a founding member.^[11] It is not registered as a local government party with the New South Wales Electoral Commission.^[12]

In 2025, Kerridge temporarily stood down as lord mayor for three months, to have treatment for a "serious medical condition".^[13] On 9 February 2026, Kerridge resigned as lord mayor, citing to health issues arising from his cancer treatment.^[14] Kerridge endorsed independent candidate Gavin Morris at the resulting by-election, who went on to win the election.^[15]

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