Neighbours star Madeleine West announces surprise move into politics

Former Neighbours star Madeleine West has announced that she will be running as an independent candidate in the 2023 NSW state election.

During an interview on Studio 10 on Wednesday morning, the actor said she had decided it was time to "start doing" after seeing the devastation of the flood crisis in her local area of Lismore, NSW.

"Our region has been cataclysmically failed by the Government, its failure to act in a responsible way and deploy an actual plan to rescue the people that voted for them," the Lismore local told host Sarah Harris.

"It’s not good enough and a lot of people are talking about it but there’s a point in time where you stop talking and you start doing.

“I’m not agitating to see change anymore, I want to be change, and so today I’m formally announcing that I intend to run for state parliament at the New South Wales elections next year.”

The mother-of-six also took to Instagram to share the news with her followers.

"Australia needs a guarantee this will never happen again. We’ve talked about it enough and now is the time for action," she said.

"I’ve spent many years agitating for change and now I want to BE the change. We are ready and we deserve it. Be the change you want to see. It’s never too late to change everything. Let’s go."

The Underbelly star has spent the last week helping with the cleanup effort in the northern NSW region.

Sharing a video on her Instagram, the actor held back tears as she spoke about the 'devastation' around her.

"It's really, really bad," she said.

"Everything is just covered in mud. Mud that you just can't clean off. Everything is just destroyed or smashed or washed away."

And in a piece for 9Honey she added: "Now the floods have subsided and the survivors have patted themselves down and ensured their families are safe, it's time to take stock of what's left and begin the mammoth task of cleaning up.

"It's time to pick up the pieces and start again.

"The community effort up here has been amazing. The local school transformed into a hospital and relief came to those who had lost their homes.

"But what is really needed is hands. On the ground, cleaning. That first day I was shocked by how few bodies were present."

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