Paralympian Liesl Tesch is the new Labor member for the NSW seat of Gosford. Tesch recorded a swing of more than 11 per cent in what was one of the state’s most marginal seats in the by-election held on April 8. The former high school teacher, a wheelchair basketball champion and sailor can now add politician to her resume and is the first MP in NSW to use a wheelchair.
Tesch competed in five Paralympic Games and was the first woman to play the sport professionally. She became an incomplete paraplegic at the age of 19, following a mountain bike accident. During her campaign she said voters were unhappy about the lack of resources being allocated to the Central Coast area.