Merome Beard
{{Short description|Western Australian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{Use Australian English|date=November 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Merome Beard
| nickname = Mem
| honorific-suffix = MLA
| image =
| office = Member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly for North West Central
| term_start = 17 September 2022
| term_end =
| predecessor = Vince Catania
| birth_place =
| residence = Carnarvon, Western Australia
| party = Liberal Party {{small|(from 2023)}}
| spouse =
| children =
| alma_mater =
| occupation =
| otherparty = National Party {{small|(until 2023)}}
}}
Merome Beard is an Australian politician, representing the electoral district of North West Central in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly since 17 September 2022. She was elected as a member of the National Party, but she resigned from the party on 31 October 2023 and joined the Liberal Party.
Early life and career
Beard is a great-great-granddaughter of Sir Thomas Cockburn-Campbell, the first president of the Western Australian Legislative Council in 1890.{{cite web |last1=Law |first1=Peter |title=Merome Beard: Descendant of pioneering politician and newspaper editor takes seat in Legislative Assembly |url=https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/merome-beard-descendant-of-pioneering-politician-and-newspaper-editor-takes-seat-in-legislative-council-c-8548017 |website=The West Australian |access-date=26 October 2022 |date=17 October 2022}}
She competed as a rower at the Australian Institute of Sport and went to the 1994 World Championships.
Beard and her husband have owned and ran the Port Hotel in Carnarvon for over twenty years.{{cite web |title=Merome Beard |url=https://www.nationalswa.com/our-team/merome-beard/ |website=Nationals WA |access-date=17 September 2022}}
Political career
In late June 2022, Beard was selected by the National Party to contest the 2022 North West Central state by-election for them, after incumbent member Vince Catania announced his plans to retire.{{cite web |last1=Hastie |first1=Hamish |title=Carnarvon pub owner picked to defend Nationals’ most marginal WA seat |url=https://www.watoday.com.au/politics/western-australia/carnarvon-pub-owner-picked-to-defend-nationals-most-marginal-wa-seat-20220629-p5axqr.html |website=WAtoday |access-date=13 July 2022 |date=29 June 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Pin |first1=Phoebe |title=Carnarvon businesswomen Merome 'Mem' Beard endorsed as Nationals WA candidate for North West Central |url=https://www.geraldtonguardian.com.au/news/geraldton-guardian/carnarvon-businesswomen-merome-mem-beard-endorsed-as-nationals-wa-candidate-for-north-west-central-c-7338589 |website=The Geraldton Guardian |publisher=West Australian Newspapers |access-date=13 July 2022 |date=29 June 2022}} Her main competitor was Liberal Party candidate Will Baston, with the Labor Party not fielding a candidate.{{cite web |last1=Ferguson |first1=Kate |title=Voters in North West Central still want to know why WA government isn't fielding a candidate |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-10/north-west-central-by-election-one-week-out/101412376 |website=ABC News |access-date=17 September 2022 |date=10 September 2022}}
Beard won the by-election, which took place on 17 September 2022.{{cite web |last1=Ferguson |first1=Kate |last2=Carmody |first2=James |title=Western Australian Nationals candidate Merome Beard named winner in North West Central by-election |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-17/north-west-central-by-election-2022-results/101438284 |website=ABC News |access-date=17 September 2022 |date=17 September 2022}}
On 31 October 2023, Beard resigned from the National Party and joined the Liberal Party, which would put the National and Liberal parties at three seats each in the Legislative Assembly, previously the Nationals had four while the Liberals had two.{{cite web |last1=Zimmerman |first1=Josh |title=Nationals MP Mem Beard defects to Liberals in move that opens door to Libby Mettam becoming Opposition Leader |url=https://thewest.com.au/politics/nationals-mp-mem-beard-defects-to-liberals-in-move-that-opens-door-to-libby-mettam-becoming-opposition-leader-c-12391829 |website=The West Australian |access-date=31 October 2023 |date=31 October 2023 |url-access=subscription}}{{cite web |last1=Carmody |first1=James |last2=Perpitch |first2=Nicolas |title=Nationals MP Merome Beard quits party to join Liberals, throwing opposition alliance into doubt |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-31/merome-beard-defects-to-liberal-party/103046922 |website=ABC News |access-date=31 October 2023 |date=31 October 2023}}
While campaigning in the 2025 Western Australian state election, her car was stolen and it was used in a ram-raid.{{Cite web |date=2025-02-24 |title=Politician’s car stolen and used in bottle shop ram raid |url=https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/regional/liberal-candidate-merome-beards-car-stolen-and-used-in-ram-raid-ahead-of-wa-election-early-polls--c-17836023 |access-date=2025-03-08 |website=PerthNow |language=en}}{{Cite news |date=2025-02-24 |title=WA Liberal MP's car stolen and used to ram-raid liquor store |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-24/liberal-mp-merome-beard-car-stolen-on-campaign-trail/104973986 |access-date=2025-03-08 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}
References
{{reflist}}
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{{s-par|au-wa-la}}
{{s-bef|before=Vince Catania }}
{{s-ttl|title=Member for North West Central |years=2022–present}}
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{{s-end}}
{{WACurrentMLAs}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beard, Merome}}
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
Category:National Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Western Australia
Category:Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Western Australia
Category:21st-century Australian politicians
Category:21st-century Australian women politicians