Louise Kingston

Louise Kingston (born 8 June 1965) is an Australian politician serving as a member of the Western Australian Legislative Council to represent the South West Region.

Early life and career
Kingston was born in Albany. She previously worked as the state secretary of Timber Communities Australia, and as an executive officer for the Small Business Centre and the Warren Blackwood Alliance of Councils. Before being elected, Kingston worked as the manager of the Manjimup Community Resource Centre. She also ran an engineering business and farm with her husband.

Previous elections
Kingston joined the Nationals in 2015, and first stood for election at the 2017 state election in second place on the Nationals ticket for the South West region of the Legislative Council. At the 2019 federal election, Kingston ran for the Senate in third place on the Nationals ticket. She ran in the second place on the Nationals ticket for the South West region of the Legislative Council at the 2021 state election, but was not elected.

Politics
Although Kingston was unsuccessful at the 2021 election, fellow Nationals candidate James Hayward did win the seat, but was convicted in August 2023 of child sex offences, disqualifying him from parliament. After his disqualification, a recount was to be performed to determine the next most popular candidate. The recount was performed by the Western Australian Electoral Commission on 19 September 2023, resulting in Kingston's election. She was sworn in on 28 September 2023.

Kingston was immediately elevated to the shadow cabinet as the shadow minister for climate action and shadow minister for regional cities. Following the defection of Merome Beard from the Nationals to the Liberals, Kingston also took up the tourism portfolio.

In June 2024, Kingston was preselected for fifth place on the National Party's Legislative Council ticket for the 2025 state election: considering a party would need to receive 13% of the vote for their fifth-placed candidate to be elected, far above the Nationals's recent electoral results, Kingston's position was considered unwinnable. However, Kingston resigned from the party later the same month, citing "relentless bullying and harassment" from party leader Shane Love, and alleged that her unfavourable preselection was the result of a deliberate campaign to punish her. Love and the party's administration denied Kingston's allegations, suggesting that her resignation was motivated only by her poor performance in preselection.

Personal life
Kingston moved to Manjimup in 2001. She is married, with four children and three grandchildren.