Edwards won the previously very safe
Labor seat from the incumbent member
Robert Coombs at the
2011 state election following a previous attempt for the seat at the
2007 state election. Edwards was elected with a swing of 14.0 points and won the seat with 51.1 per cent of the
two-party vote. Following his election, Edwards stated that he was yet to make a decision about whether he will continue to sit both on Council and as a member of parliament. On 14 August 2014, Edwards stood aside from the parliamentary Liberal Party following the
ICAC testimony of Newcastle mayor and property developer
Jeff McCloy, who told the Commission he had donated $1,800 cash-in-hand to Edwards' campaign. It is illegal in New South Wales to receive political donations from property developers. Edwards stood as an independent candidate for the seat Swansea at the
2015 state election. He received 14% of the primary vote and lost the seat to the Labor candidate
Yasmin Catley. ==References==