The accountant, lately a Client Manager for Deloitte Risk Advisory, will be sworn in tomorrow to the Legislative Council to fill the casual vacancy created by veteran Liberal David Ridgway’s departure to become SA’s Agent-General in London.

In a state council ballot on Friday night, Girolamo beat two prominent moderate-aligned candidates, Sue Lawrie and Kathleen Bourne, staffers for Marshall Government ministers Vincent Tarzia and Stephen Wade respectively.

Lawrie, who earlier last week had lost the presidency of the influential Liberal Women’s Council to leading Right-winger Nicolle Flint, was eliminated in the first round of voting by just four votes, before Girolamo beat Bourne 108 votes to 92.

The result is a further blow to the moderate faction ahead of next month’s party AGM, at which the Right is expected to make a concerted charge to seize control of the ruling state executive, after bolstering its numbers in a recent recruiting drive targeting Pentecostal Christian communities.

In a statement, Girolamo said she was “truly honoured to have been chosen to represent the people of South Australia and… looking forward to working with families, small businesses and community groups on the issues important to them”.

“I am keen to draw on my financial experience to add value to the Upper House team in the legislative process,” she said.