North Sydney Sun December 2021

Special December 4 local gov’t edition | How To Vote lift-out to take to the polls

December 2021/Issue 9

News and views for North Sydney’s residential and business communities

www.northsydneysun.com.au

76 candidates enter, only 10 can win Around 50,000 North Sydney Council voters face a competitive choice come December 4 with seven groups contesting five councillor positions in the northern St Leonards Ward and eight groups and one ungrouped candidate contesting five positions in the southern Cammeraygal Ward.

Eight of the current 10 councillors are contesting this election, albeit with one, Tony Carr, in a virtually unwinnable position.

Independent Kathy Brodie and Liberal Democrat Sam Gunning are not running again.

The notable aspect of this election is that all candidates but one are running as part of five-member tickets: this allows their tickets to be featured “above the line” on the ballot paper, enhancing both their brand and preferred preference flows.

The southern Cammeraygal ward covers the areas east of Bay Rd, Waverton and West St, North Sydney and south of Falcon St and Military Road.

The northern St Leonards ward covers areas west and north of this line respectively.

Mayor Jilly Gibson is heading an eponymous Team Jilly ticket and based on past performance will be favoured to gain the first of five councillor positions in the southern ward.

Her daughter and fellow councillor, Dr Alanya Drummond, heads the Team Jilly ticket in the north ward.

With Gibson’s personal popularity winning her 40% of the mayoral vote four years ago, Team Jilly likely has the best chance of winning a second quota and thus, a second elected councillor in her ward. Group running mates John Lepouris and Hugo Bauer

Dec 4 local gov’t poll have strong profiles in their own rights: for example, Lepouris runs the Against the Grind cafe in Neutral Bay and is the most prominent local small business owner in the contest.

Former deputy mayor Stephen Barbour is heading the North Sydney 1st ticket in the north ward, with the group emphasising its Liberal party affiliations while short of an official endorsement.

High profile candidate Sophie Winton is heading the group in the south ward. A key aspect of their platform is their claimed ability to exert more influence on other levels of government to achieve better outcomes.

The Liberal connections of the group are being emphasised this time in light of the party’s self-evident popularity at state and federal levels and a perception that the Liberal Democrats exploited a vacuum left by the Liberals four years ago when the libertarian rival won over 10% of the vote and a council spot. North Sydney 1st also features two former councillors in supporting positions: Veronique Marchandeau and Richard Pearson.

Sitting councillors Ian Mutton and Jessica Keen are heading the Community 1st group in the south and north wards respectively. They are running on themes such as more transparency and rigour in council affairs. Mutton is also developing a plan for a New Continued page 2

ABOVE: Team Jilly Gibson and family. BELOW LEFT: North Sydney 1st’s Stephen Barbour and baby. BELOW RIGHT: Independent candidate Elle Prevost. BOTTOM LEFT: Zoe Baker and MaryAnn Beregi from the Real Independents. BOTTOM RIGHT: William Bourke and Georgia Lamb from the Sustainable Australia Party

North Sydney LGA election campaign is under way

Continued from front page York style Highline on the Lavender Bay rail siding while Keen is emphasising issues around transport, traffic, green spaces and COVID recovery.

Keen told the Sun that early indications are that over-development is a big concern with voters: “That’s a big issue coming through. And we feel strongly about that. As you know, as a team, we feel quite strongly that we need to advocate for our community. I’ve also had feedback for more parklands. People are talking about that. Open space, how can we do it? They’re the main issues coming through. Keeping our villages, which obviously we identify with very strongly. They’re the main things.”

Sitting councillors Zoe Baker and MaryAnn Beregi are also running in the north and south wards, under the moniker The Real Independents. Baker was second only in popularity to Gibson last time round, topping her ward vote and placing second in the mayoral elections. The two have a long-established profile on Council. They are perceived as the most oppositional to the current regime. Sitting councillor Tony Carr is on the north ward ticket but is placed last and thus is unlikely to be elected unless he scores an incredibly strong personal vote.

LABOR: Labor is running an endorsed ticket in both wards, headed by Godfrey Santer and Shannon Welch. Santer is a former tourism commission executive and local businessman while Welch is a former nurse who has burnished her community credentials through campaigns to save hospitals and improve local sporting facilities.

Labor is running on traditional themes such as environmentalism but also some more unorthodox platforms: it wants to transform North Sydney into a nightlife centre and encourage Council to facilitate business development rather than simply regulate it.

Lead St Leonards candidate Santer told the Sun: “Our approach is one of policies and pragmatism, not personalities. And I think a lot of the concern, from our impression and from the feedback, is that people are concerned about the infighting that’s going on in Council, with the petty personality differences. People put themselves in cor-

ners and refuse to co-operate. Some pretty good policies have been swept aside by these silly problems.”

Labor’s lead Cammeraygal candidate Welch told the Sun she had been worried her ticket might get a negative reaction because of its affiliation with a major party.

“But we’re just not getting that,” she observed.

Welch said she was surprised at how polarising the debate over bike paths has been. “I’m very supportive of the bike path. But it is such a controversial subject, and I’m quite surprised as you just think it would fix so many ills: the congestion issue, the pollution issue, parking issue, and yet so many people are anti.”

OVER-DEVELOPMENT: The Sustainable Australia Party, which has a relatively strong local membership, is also running full tickets in both wards.

Lead candidates William Bourke and Georgia Lamb are running on a sustainable environment platform but are also the most overtly resistant to over-development and a planning process which they allege is effectively corrupt. They are the wild cards in this election in the absence of any other outright Green candidates, especially at a time when climate change issues are being brought to the fore at state and federal level.

Bourke told North Sydney Sun: “I’ve been walking around and doing some letter boxing and talking to people in their front yards. And the big issue is overdevelopment. That’s been the standout whenever we mention that we get a great reaction.”

“We’ve had a good response. We’ve had people agreeing with our position.”

“The big issue has been overdevelopment, but also particularly with COVID. I think sustainable transport, a local sustainable transport system that really prioritises walking, cycling in particular, people are really pivoting towards those issues.”

“So for me, the fully connected cycle network throughout North Sydney, I think is really, really critical for the next council to address.”

Moving on to the campaign itself, Bourke observed: “I attended the ballot paper draw and made a point of talking to all of the other candidates and trying

ABOVE LEFT: Independent James Mullan. ABOVE CENTRE: Shannon Welch and Godfrey Santer from North Sydney Labor, ABOVE RIGHT: Sophie Winton from North Sydney 1st at Italian Express in St Leonards. BELOW: Jessica Keen and Ian Mutton

to find things in common and what I found is that I do think all of the candidates are genuine in their approach to representing the community. It’s probably just some of the personality conflicts that need to be worked on. And I think that whoever’s elected, I think that the council should get together and just try to put those personality conflicts aside, because all of the people that I’ve seen have the interests of the community at heart.”

There are also some newcomers.

Local tech entrepreneur James Spenceley is heading a ticket in the north ward and is allied with Elle Prevost who is heading a ticket in south ward. Prevost is best known as the convenor of several local Facebook groups, with thousands of members. They are considered most likely of the challengers to gain election, courtesy of their existing high profiles and expertise with modern digital media techniques.

Probably most impressive is the campaign of independent James Mullan, a young candidate in his 20s who was the first to announce his candidacy for Cammeraygal Ward early this year and has run a strong grassroots campaign based on his advocacy for better community and professional sporting facilities.

He has also revealed himself as particularly adroit at seizing the zeitgeist, identifying closely with the current push to revive the North Sydney Bears at NRL level as well as mounting a strong guerrilla marketing effort; for example, publishing a novel video where he identified the best points of rival candidates.

There is just one ungrouped candidate, Jane Choi, who is profiled elsewhere in this issue.

The two wards have around 25,000 voters each but with only around one half to two-thirds expected to vote, the quota required to gain election could trend as low as just 2,000 votes.

With no direct election for mayor this time, candidates are emphasising their teams and ability to work with others. The 10 elected councillors will elect one of their number as mayor in early January.

Booth restrictions flummox candidates Candidates for the North Sydney Council elections are frustrated by restrictions on their display of campaign materials outside voting booths.

Lead Labor candidate for Cammerygal, Shannon Welch told North Sydney Sun that her team was instructed by North Sydney Council's Chief Ranger to remove all campaign corflutes and A-frames from outside the Neutral Bay pre-poll location.

“We were told that no electoral materials can be shown during the prepoll period or on election day. The corflutes were set up before 7am as per previous instructions from the NSW Electoral Commission,” Welch said.

“At 9:30am on Nov 22, the Chief Ranger instructed us that all electoral materials on public property must be removed by 12pm.”

“Not allowing any public displays of electoral materials is a loss for democracy. Our solution is for all candidates to be able to display our election materials in a safe manner on public property. The public has a democratic right to know about the candidates they can vote for at the North Sydney Council election on December 4."

Another candidate, Jilly Gibson, told the Sun that she was worried the restrictions would confuse voters and inflate informal voting.

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Spectacular own goal for anti-development hit sheet A widely-distributed pamphlet designed to cast aspersions on no less than 10 major candidates running for Council elections over their claimed support for high-rise development has spectacularly backfired, with its targets mocking its inaccuracies and the author revealed to be a company director with her own business ties to property developers.

The brochure, authorised by Meredith Trevallyn-Jones, a local resident, urges voters to reject Mayor Jilly Gibson and a long list of claimed supporters including Stephen Barbour, Jessica Keen, Ian Mutton and even independent candidates James Spenceley and James Mullan.

The brochure targets their alleged support for Liberals, property development and a specific plan to loosen the height limit for several Neutral Bay properties in return for the creation of open space, made possible through carpark undergrounding and new building setbacks from the street.

The brochure pings the major owners of the relevant land—Greg Karedis, Nick Andrews and Seph Glew—as wealthy property developers who live in Mosman and “wouldn’t dream building 12 storeys in Mosman Village.” But Trevallyn-Jones is the sole director of Kirkis Taylor Retail Pty Ltd, a North Sydney based architectural firm that has designed several high rise apartment blocks across Sydney in locations such as Erskineville, Botany, Surry Hills and, most famously, Mascot Towers in Bourke Rd, Mascot which was abandoned in 2019 when cracks appeared in its transfer beams.

Targets of the brochure mocked

this incongruity as well as substantial inaccuracies in its descriptions of candidates alleged to be close to developers. Independent candidate for Cammeraygal James Mullan was characterised as a Jilly Gibson and development supporter on the basis that he “worked for (Liberal MP) Trent Zimmerman.” Mullan told the Sun he worked for not only Zimmerman but a Green legislative councillor and a Labor state parliamentarian—effectively in the cause of gaining youthful work experience.

“I live in a $300 rental in a 60 year old block of flats. I am as far from the world of property development as you can get,” he said.

Mullan posted a video on Facebook ridiculing the claims made against him but said he was threatened with legal action shortly afterwards by one of the candidates endorsed by the brochure’s author. This saw him substantially edit some references he made in a video mocking the brochure.

James Spenceley was also described in the brochure as having offices for his investment firm in a Neutral Bay building currently subject to a development application, conveying a potential impression he was a developer. “I rent there and I am actually annoyed about the development application as it means I will be evicted soon and have to find new space,” he lamented to the Sun. “Trevallyn-Jones would find out that I oppose 12 storeys if she had bothered to call,” he said.

Team Jilly candidate John Lepouris, who owns the Against the Grind café in Neutral Bay, was de-

scribed as a “developer” in the brochure, even though he declared he was not a developer on his nomination form. A spokesperson for Team Jilly said the claim was likely a reference to Lepouris’ father’s development of a four storey apartment building in Neutral Bay seven years ago. Lepouris’ father lives in the residence.

NSW law defines a property developer as a person, company or close associate of a company who regularly submits development applications with the ultimate purpose of selling or leasing land for profit.

“John is not a developer,” said the spokesperson. “He runs a café.”

Another independent councillor, Ian Mutton, readily admits he voted to advance the planning proposal that would see height limits raised for some sites to 12 storeys.

“I originally voted to lift the height to 12 levels. And I did that partly because of this vision people were building of a town square or village at Neutral Bay, and they painted the picture that the only way of getting it was to allow 12 storey buildings.”

SUPPORT LOWER HEIGHTS: “After that vote, I paid a lot more attention and I realised 12 floors is too high a price to pay for a small square. I accept that parts of Neutral Bay need to be rejuvenated, but the way to rejuvenation is not high rise. It may be that that stretch of land can support four to five stories, but not 12 storeys.”

Mayor Jilly Gibson—the main target of the brochure—notes that the development of high rise in Neutral Bay is far from a fait accompli. “It is just a planning document. There has

An excerpt of the brochure above

been no actual development application yet and I doubt we would see one get up for twelve storeys to be honest,” she said.

“The planning proposal provides for substantial setbacks from the street for any new developments which would benefit the solar footprint. And it would allow for the undergrounding of carparks and the creation of new open space in Neutral Bay.” Gibson was palpably angry about the leaflet: “I challenge the beneficiaries of this bile to come out and look me in the eyes and say they had nothing to do with it.”

“The people in North Sydney do not want this type of toxic culture. I feel very sorry for people who are so unhappy in their lives that they need to do this type of thing,” Gibson said.

Sydney Trains fined over Waverton track noise Sydney Trains has been fined by the NSW Environment Protection Authority after alleged poor track maintenance between Waverton and Wollstonecraft railway stations caused excessive noise for nearby residents.

EP Director Regulatory Operations David Gathercole said rail noise had been a prolonged issue affecting residents in the Waverton-Wollstonecraft area. “The ineffective maintenance of this part of the rail line has been a constant failing that has led to excessive noise for this community,” Gathercole said. “Lack of maintenance has resulted in rail corrugations and roughness, which are the primary cause of the noise.”

Gathercole said that while Sydney Trains had undertaken numerous studies and trials to try to address this noise issue, no clear resolution had emerged: “The EPA has now received a plan from Sydney Trains to perform further maintenance and will continue to monitor the situation to ensure that the issue is resolved as quickly as possible.”

Sydney Trains was issued with a $15,000 Penalty Notice for not managing the noise issues, as required by its Environment Protection Licence under

the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997. The fine amount is the largest that the EPA can issue under its legislation.

State member for North Shore, Felicity Wilson, told North Sydney Sun that: “While Sydney Trains have undertaken detailed studies and implemented a range of measures to address this unique and challenging section of

rail, they now have an opportunity to redouble their efforts and take all possible actions to reduce the noise impacts. I recognise the efforts of local advocates, particularly the Waverton Wollstonecraft Rail Noise Action Group, led by Brian McGlynn, for all the time and work they have consistently put into getting this very impactful issue addressed. A special acknowl-

edgement must go to Ian Links for his work over the past 15 years.”

However, for residents near the tracks the cure is proving even worse than the symptoms. A lubricant used on the track has been removed for several weeks to allow repairs, causing the noise to rise to greater levels than before. The lubricant is planned to be reapplied in early December.

VOTE

TEAM JILLY

Avoid queues on Dec 4, cast your vote today Pre-poll voting 22nd Nov - 3rd Dec, 9am - 5pm Hutley Hall, North Sydney Council Chambers, 200 Miller St North Sydney OR 138 Military Rd Neutral Bay

St Leonards Ward = GROUP G St Leonards Ward

GROUP G te i r W ere h DRUMMOND, Alanya Independent

LEPOURIS, John Independent

LAMONT, Stacey Independent

KWON, Jennifer Independent

MOLYNEUX, John Independent

Cammeraygal Ward = GROUP H Scan here

GROUP H te Wri ere h GIBSON, Jilly Independent

BAUER, Hugo Independent

KANG, Sandeep (Sunny) REDDY, Koovashni Independent

HOUVARDAS, Steven Independent

Authorised by Jilly Gibson 61/29 Carabella Street Kirribilli NSW, 2061 Printed by IVE Group 9 Ferndell St Granville South 2142

Independent

Authorised by Jilly Gibson, 61/29 Carabella St Milsons Point 2061 Advert 5.indd 1

19/11/21 12:35 pm

NO

Say to overdevelopment in Neutral Bay Village

YES

VOTE

TEAM JILLY Authorised by Jilly Gibson, 61/29 Carabella St Milsons Point 2061

Advert 6.indd 1

Authorised by Jilly Gibson 61/29 Carabella Street Kirribilli NSW, 2061 Printed by IVE Group, 9 Ferndell St, Granville South, 2142

to Say 2000sqm of public plaza, extra shopper parking and a state-of-the-art community centre

22/11/21 7:54 pm

Crows Nest ranked 7th best place, North Sydney 14th in Australia to invest in residential property Crows Nest ranked 7th and North Sydney 14th on a list of the 20 most desirable locations in which to invest in residential property in Australia.

ME Bank commissioned the new research from Ethos Urban, a national planning and urban economics consultancy, to assemble the list which captures all levels of investment, from apartment-focused buying to larger freestanding home opportunities.

Qualitative and quantitative criteria were applied to identify suburbs with the best investment prospects.

These factors include: how new transport infrastructure would reshape the investment landscape across the range of suburbs; average rental yields; recent population growth; median house prices; and average rental prices together with lifestyle appeal measurables such as the availability of coffee shops and cafes.

ME’s consulting demographer Chris McNeil from Ethos Urban said: “A common theme that really stands out in ME’s list is the huge impact that new transport infrastructure has on creating investment opportunities in a suburb.

The Sydney Metro was namechecked as a key influence on the results. Five Dock, Rozelle, Parramatta and Crows Nest—all located on its route—secured spots in the top 10.

“Key transport infrastructure projects like the Sydney Metro South West Project will enhance connectivity to the CBD from areas including North Sydney and Crows Nest, bolstering the already well-established apartment market and coffee scene,” McNeil said.

“Five Dock, Rozelle, Parramatta, Pyrmont and Concord will significantly benefit from the high-speed, high-

frequency metro line connecting them to the Sydney CBD. This adds to their appeal for investors following recent growth in rental prices, median house prices and change in white-collar workers.”

The top twenty places in Australia to invest in residential property are: 1: Woolloongabba, QLD; 2: Burleigh Heads, QLD; 3: Five Dock, NSW; 4:

North Melbourne, VIC; 5: Rozelle, NSW; 6: Ellenbrook, WA; 7: Parramatta, NSW; 8: Crows Nest, NSW, 9: Preston, VIC; 10: South Melbourne, VIC; 11: Yanchep, WA; 12: Waterloo, NSW; 13: Coffs Harbour, NSW; 14: North Sydney, NSW; 15: Pyrmont, NSW; 16: Claremont, WA; 17: Mermaid Beach, QLD; 18: Miami, QLD; 19: Concord, NSW and 20: Fairfield, QLD.

What you see is what you get, says Jilly Gibson in pitch for re-election North Sydney’s most popular local politician, Mayor Jilly Gibson, is facing her greatest challenge yet in two decades on Council, with the system of direct election of mayor changing to one of election by fellow councillors.

In the 2017 election, Gibson scored 42% of the mayoral vote and 47% of the councillor vote in her ward. This was ahead of the second most popular candidate, Zoe Baker, who won 30% of the vote for mayor and 39% of the vote in her ward for councillor.

But they were effectively four-way contests to elect a mayor and three councillors per ward.

This time the wards have grown in size and the number of councillors to be elected from each has grown from three to five. In Gibson’s Cammeraygal Ware, there are eight groups and one ungrouped candidate contesting the poll. This reduces the quota required for election and increases the chances of more diversity and reduced consensus when it comes to a simple majority vote of 10 to elect the next mayor.

“Residents are confused and angry that changes to the Mayoral election system occurred without meaningful community consultation. What a slap in the face for democracy,” Gibson told the North Sydney Sun in an interview.

“But all is not lost! It’s simple really.

Those residents who love the way North Sydney looks and feels and want me to be re-elected as their Mayor should vote 1 for Team Jilly in both wards – we are the last box above the line on the ballot paper, saving the best till last. In St Leonards Ward (North) we are Group G ... G is for Go Jilly! In Cammeraygal Ward (South), we are Group H .. H is for Happy.”

Gibson is now North Sydney Council’s second longest serving mayor in history, first elected in September 2012. Only Genia McCaffery, at 17 years, was there for longer.

But despite the inevitable calls from rivals that it is a time for a change, Gibson says she remains the best person for the job.

“My rivals have been saying it’s time for a change since the day I was elected.

I’m still here, loving this community I represent and working hard,” she told the Sun. “North Sydney needs a fulltime Mayor. If re-elected as Mayor I will continue working 24/7 to ensure our residents get the attention they deserve. I’m the only candidate making this promise.”

“I will continue to think and work creatively and ensure my ideas equal action,” she said.

“My rivals – far left extremists Cr Beregi & Cr Baker – are aligned with Labor and the Sustainable Australia Party. Don’t be fooled by the title – this is not an environmental party but a party who wants to control population growth by stopping immigration. These are scary platforms and should be

Mayor Jilly Gibson launches her campaign outside running mate John Lepouris’ Against the Grind café in Neutral Bay soundly rejected. The Sustainable Australia Party call for slashed immigration, no development which means no upgrading of decaying buildings, no growth in our CBD, no revitalisation of Neutral Bay so no new plaza, no new shops, no extra parking.”

Gibson draws a contrast between her rivals and her own team.

“While making thousands of local residents new Australian citizens I proudly celebrate our harmonious and multicultural community. Team Jilly members reflect the diversity of North Sydney – this is critically important.”

GREATEST ACHIEVEMENTS: Gibson wants voters to consider her record during the pandemic when asked to nominate her three greatest achievements of the last four years.

“The pandemic and subsequent lockdowns affected our entire community. As Mayor, I responded quickly and effectively to the evolving situation and assisted our small businesses by gifting them extra outdoor dining space,” Gibson told the Sun. “I worked proactively to protect and increase our community’s public open space. This includes securing a 30-year lease for Wendy Whiteley’s Secret Garden, converting under-utilised sections of road into public plazas and gaining over 1500sqm of public open space in Holtermann Street, Crows Nest,” she added. “Team Jilly also championed the redevelopment of our iconic North Sydney Olympic Pool, which will be reopening in December 2022.”

“I’m sneaking in a fourth achievement– equality for women in Council’s executive team. I have initiated systemic changes in the Council staffing hierarchy to ensure that half of our directors are female. When I took on the job, there were no women in the top tier of the organisation. The fact that my

Team Jilly logo is pink is no coincidence,” she joked.

Gibson is certainly the most visible candidate on the hustings, seen out and about walking in neighbourhoods most days. “I’ve learnt the value of being highly visible in our community. Residents quite rightly expect to see their Mayor out and about, ready for a chat,” Gibson said.

“Residents love that I answer my own phone and that I make my personal mobile number available. It’s 0437 454 523 in case you haven’t got it!”

Asked to identify the major challenges for Council in the coming term, Gibson reels off a list.

“Good financial management, advocating for the best community outcomes on new state infrastructure projects. Also giving extra support to our small businesses who have suffered so much during lockdown,” she said.

“Cutting red tape is critical. So is actively engaging with young members of our community. Preserving and further enhancing our green spaces we well as rolling out more ‘road plazas’ – think Burton St Kirribilli, Young St Neutral Bay. Also delivering on Miller Plaza to give our CBD a vast community gathering space, as well as managing and improving our traffic flow while focusing on pedestrian safety.”

“Last, but not least, increasing safety for our local cyclists,” she added.

Despite the fact that Gibson is running for councillor, her campaign has the sense of a mayoral run. The effect of this is to give her claim to the position an aura of inevitability when the10 newly elected councillors meet in January to pick one of their own as mayor. If Team Jilly tops the ward votes, it could be more difficult for rivals with lower votes to make a moral claim for the top position. This makes the competition

between Team Jilly and her erstwhile main rival—the Real Independents, led

by Zoe Baker and MaryAnn Beregi—the key contest to watch in the December 4 poll.

At the moment there is no clear path to six out of 10 supporting councillors for either camp, with Team Jilly hoping its preferences will help elect sympatico independent candidates James Spenceley and Elle Prevost.

“I have served my community honestly and transparently,” Gibson said.

“I have no hidden agendas; what you see is what you get. I am full of enthusiasm, I make sure our Council is proactive, friendly and responsive.

Even my rivals say that I’m the hardest working Mayor North Sydney has ever had. As a full-time Mayor I will remain highly visible in all corners of our LGA and will always answer my phone.”

“Politically I’m a moderate just like the average voter in this electorate. No member of Team Jilly is a member of a political party. North Sydney Council is no place for extreme political operatives, or for those who simply see local government as a steppingstone to a State or Federal seat,” she said in reference to other councillors who have run as independents in recent state and federal government polls.

Gibson says that she will continue to focus on local basics like roads, rates and rubbish while rolling out big initiatives such as our smoke-free CBD and a “sky park” over the Warringah Freeway. She tells the Sun this concept has advanced significantly: “It won’t happen next year, but it will happen.”

“Social issues like a lack of affordable housing and homelessness will be a greater focus for Team Jilly. As will environmental issues like encouraging the use of electric cars by providing more charging stations.”

The Sun Says With this issue, North Sydney Sun celebrates its 1st anniversary.

If it was a wedding anniversary, the gift would be paper: something that seems singularly appropriate.

We are proud that in a COVID19 afflicted year, our various discounted advertising options offered a real life to local cashstrapped SMEs. And we are also proud of the fact that since July, we have mounted a rolling and extensive coverage of the campaign for North Sydney Council elections.

Finally, after two false starts, the polls are nigh.

The electorate has been divided into two wards, electing five councillors each. Unlike before, when residents directly elected the mayor, this time the mayor will be chosen from a simple majority of the next council.

This poses a new challenge for electors. It’s not just about voting for councillors, but strategically making an assessment of which collective grouping of six or more represents the best chance of forming unified backing for the next mayor.

With a quota of just 15% or maybe as low as 2,000 votes adequate for election, it is possible that no group will get more than one candidate elected in each one ward.

That’s the simple mathematical reality of having seven groups contesting five positions in one ward and eight groups in the other.

This issue features fulsome coverage of the candidates and campaign issues: we believe the best provided by a newspaper in the history of North Sydney.

Nothing beats an informed vote.

Copyright Decisive Publishing.

All rights reserved.

ACN 065 084 960 Responsibility for election comment taken by G Lynch Office address: Unit 3 20 Cliff St Milsons Point NSW Australia 2061 Phone: 02 9061 7048 URL: www.northsydneysun.com.au Email for editorial: grahamelynch@commsdaymail.com Founding editor and Decisive CEO: Grahame Lynch Advertising information: Amy Carswell amy@commsdaymail.com Distribution inquiries: Linda Salameh linda@commsdaymail.com Payment inquiries: Sally Lloyd sally@commsdaymail.com Printer: Spotpress, 24-26 Lilian Fowler Place Marrickville NSW 2204 20,000 copies circulated to homes and businesses in the North Sydney LGA Printer statement available on demand

Final Council meeting rejects six month trial of park booking regime A motion to trial a six month regime of bookings and fees on commercial and group activities in North Sydney’s harbour foreshore parks has been defeated 7-3 in what was the last Council meeting of the current term ahead of December 4 elections.

The motion, brought by Mayor Jilly Gibson, sought to restrict the number of people who can gather in any park in North Sydney without making a booking from 60 to 40 people and implement a $195 booking fee for groups of 40-60 people. It also sought to introduce a compulsory booking regime for groups of any sizes undertaking corporate promotional activities, weddings/ commitment ceremonies, use for a film location and commercial photography excluding wedding and family photography.

It also sought to require a $100 booking fee for commercial curated picnics, marriage proposal ceremonies and other celebrations.

Several councillors argued against the proposal, largely on the grounds that the Council was to soon enter caretaker mode and that the matter should be decided later.

Councillor Ian Mutton, who opposed the motion, summed up these sentiments stating: “The Mayor's motion imposed no limits on the number of commercial events it just focused on revenue. The issue is of huge importance to the North Sydney community. It is one that should not be rushed through in the last days of this council. It needs to be left for the new council and needs to be decided after a sensible engagement with the community.”

Councillor Zoe Baker said she was worried events like large children birthday celebrations would be captured by the proposed rules, while Councillor Jessica Keen said it was too soon after lockdown to propose new restrictions on gatherings.

But Gibson said that many residents were disappointed that the council had not yet acted on concerns about increasing use of the parks.

“They don’t want our council to sit around, discuss it for another six months and come up with the absolute perfect solution before we do anything. That’s not what the council is elected for. We are elected to make decisions and not to put it off to have endless more discussions. Let’s try this solution. This report had been very carefully written by our very experienced director of Open Spaces, Mr Robert Emerson, who put a lot of thought into this. Let’s try what he is suggesting. See how it goes.”

In the end only Gibson and Crs Alanya Drummond and Kathy Brodie voted for the motion.

As was also the case previously, the meeting was disrupted by technical difficulties with live video streaming. And reflecting the discord between councillors over the term, it ended on a bizarre note with Mayor Gibson thanking outgoing councillors and wishing a staffer a happy birthday, while councillor Tony Carr,

Talk of the Town patched in on Zoom over a highly sketchy audio link that rendered him virtually unintelligible, attempted to talk over her and extend discussion over a motion regarding a legal privacy finding made against Council.

Plan for toll on northbound traffic over Sydney Harbour?

It has been revealed that Transport for NSW’s modelling for its new North Shore road projects has assumed the introduction of a toll on northbound traffic over the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Harbour Tunnel.

The proposed introduction of such a toll was raised by NSW Opposition Leader Chris Minns in state parliament.

Minns cited a Transport for NSW document produced as part of consultations on the Beaches Link project which says, in part: “Although no decision on the final tolling strategy for the project has been made, the traffic assessment and modelling carried out for the environmental impact statement assumes that tolls would apply to all north and southbound trips on all harbour crossings in the future, including two-way tolling on the Western Harbour Tunnel and Beaches Link tunnel.”

Elsewhere in the report, it says: “The decision to apply tolls to roads is a NSW Government decision and is not made at the project level. While

no decision on tolls for northbound traffic using the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Harbour Tunnel has yet been made, the ‘Do something cumulative’ scenario assumes that tolls would apply to all north and southbound trips on all harbour crossings in the future, including two -way tolling on the Western Harbour Tunnel, Beaches Link tunnel, Sydney Harbour Tunnel and Sydney Harbour Bridge.”

The ‘Do Something Cumulative Scenario’ refers to a situation in which the Western Harbour Tunnel and Warringah Freeway Upgrade project and the Beaches Link and Gore Hill Freeway Connection project are all built.

Minns asked: “I ask whether the Premier finally admits what we all know: that he will be putting a twoway toll on all harbour crossing?”

Premier Dominic Perrotet replied: “Generally what happens is - I know the Leader of the Opposition is not used to it, because he has never been there - governments make decisions.

When they make a decision, you can critique them and ask questions about them. The Government has not made a decision. We are committed to rolling out the best road network, the best public transport - shock, horror! The Government wants to build roads after Labor sat there in government and built absolutely nothing. Labor did absolutely nothing for 16 years, resulting in a $30 billion infrastructure backlog. So, the answer to the question is no. Is that clear enough? Is that relevant enough?”

Who is Jane Choi, the only ungrouped election candidate?

Voters in Cammeraygal Ward next month will be able to choose from eight full five-person tickets and just one ungrouped candidate, Jane Choi, about whom little is known.

So who is Jane? We asked her and she replied as follows: “I originally registered for the 2021 September elections when I was 21. Turning 22 in October I believe still makes me the youngest ever in North Sydney since Councillor Gunning ran when he was 23.”

“My journey started back when I was 19 when I was mentored by Councillor Keen under the North Sydney Youth-Councillor Mentee program. I attended several council and committee meetings where I was able to learn my passion and interest in becoming a councillor myself.”

“I believe my age lack of experience could somewhat become a barrier to my candidacy.”

“However, I also saw my very traits as an advantage. In that I could bring more a more diversified and young approach to the council.”

“For this particular election, I see great value in the process than the outcome of being elected. I also wanted to be an exemplar to other

young people who hold potential but refrain from running.”

“I wanted to use this year to learn what it required to prepare and participate in campaigning etc. I do, however, anticipate to run again for the next elections with big hopes.”

“I am currently a University student studying law, working as a healthcare staff in the local private hospital.”

“With a strong passion in human rights, public health and politics, I am an active volunteer with various not-for-profit organisations and place myself on various boards.”

North Sydney Council Election | 4 December 2021

Sustainable Australia Party for

William Bourke, lead candidate for St Leonards Ward “I’m running for North Sydney Council to return real planning powers to local communities and fight for better democracy. We need councillors and politicians to represent their local community, not the high-rise property industry.”

PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT

STOP OVERDEVELOPMENT

STOP CORRUPTION

VISIT: sustainableaustralia.org.au/northsydneycouncil EMAIL: northsydneycouncil@sustainableaustralia.org.au

Sustainable Australia Party Stop Overdevelopment & Corruption Authorised by William Bourke, 15/20 Burlington St, Crows Nest NSW 2065

Local gov’t elections December 4 4 PAGE LIFTOUT GUIDE: How to vote How To vote guide for North Sydney election: December 4 As a result of both state government COVID-19 restrictions and Council prohibitions, the ability of candidates to campaign in the December 4 election at both pre-poll booths and booths on the day has been extremely curtailed.

So North Sydney Sun has compiled this handy lift-out which compiles the How To Vote cards for every group running in the poll along with information on how and where to vote.

Please keep this four page liftout and take with you on the day as there is no guarantee that you will be able to obtain HTv cards on the day.

North Sydney LGA has two wards electing five councillors each. They are St Leonards (North) and Cammeraygal (South).

St Leonards Ward broadly covers the suburbs of North Cremorne; Cremorne (north of Military Rd); Neutral Bay (north of Military Rd); Crows Nest; the eastern tip of St. Leonards; and Wollstonecraft has around 23,400 registered voters.

Cammeraygal Ward broadly covers the suburbs of Cremorne Point; Kurraba Point; Cremorne (south of Military Rd); Neutral Bay (south of Military Rd); Kirribilli; Lavender Bay; Milson’s Point; and Waverton has around 24,700 registered voters.

Check the map at left.

TEAM JILLY HOW TO VOTE

Voting Early in Person Pre-poll voting begins on Monday, 22 November 2021 and ends at 6pm Friday, 3 December 2021.

You can vote in person at the following location: 1: Hutley Hall, North Sydney Council Chambers: 200 Miller Street, North Sydney NSW 2060, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.

2: Shop 102, 138 Military Rd, Neutral Bay NSW 2089,Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.

Voting by Post This year, you are able to use postal voting if you: are a permanent or temporary resident in a hospital, nursing home, retirement village or similar facility, are self-isolating because of COVID-19 related reasons, reasonably believe that attending a polling place on election day will pose a risk to the health or safety of yourself or people around you, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Postal votes will need to be returned by 6pm on Friday 17 December.

Applications for postal voting close on Monday 29 November 2021. iVote You can vote using iVote (online and operator assisted voting) if you: are blind or have low vision; have a disability; require assistance to vote because you are unable to read or write; are not within 20 kilometres, by the nearest route, of a polling place; are a silent elector, will not be within the local government area during the hours of voting on election day or applied for a postal vote but did not receive your postal ballot papers before 5pm on 26 November 2021.

WHERE TO VOTE ON DECEMBER 4

JAMES SPENCELEY HOW TO VOTE

ST LEONARDS WARD Anzac Park Public School Anzac Ave, Cammeray Cammeray Public School, Bellevue St, Cammeray Cammeraygal High School Pacific Highway, Crows Nest Middle Harbour Public School, Macpherson St, Mosman Neutral Bay Public School, Bydown St, Neutral Bay North Sydney Boys High, Falcon St, Crows Nest North Sydney Demonstration School, Bay Road, North Sydney

ELLE PREVOST HOW TO VOTE

North Sydney Girls High, Pacific Highway, Crows Nest St Peters Anglican Church, Waters Rd, Cremorne Waverton Uniting Church Community Centre, Bay Rd, Waverton

CAMMERAYGAL WARD Cammeraygal High School Pacific Highway, Crows Nest Forsyth Park Community Centre, Forsyth Park Neutral Bay Public School, Bydown St, Neutral Bay Neutral Bay Uniting Church, Yeo St, Neutral bay North Sydney Boys High, Falcon St, Crows Nest North Sydney Demonstration School, Bay Road, North Sydney North Sydney Girls High, Pacific Highway, Crows Nest St Aloysius College Junior School, Burton St Milsons Point St Augustines Anglican Church, Shellcove Road, Neutral Bay St Peters Anglican Church, Waters Rd, Cremorne Waverton Uniting Church Community Centre, Bay Rd, Waverton

THE REAL INDEPENDENTS HOW TO VOTE

LABOR FOR NORTH SYDNEY HOW TO VOTE

Why were council elections postponed?

Council elections were planned for 4 September. They were postponed until 4 December because of the outbreak of COVID-19, and the increased risk from the higher transmission rates of the Delta variant.

Why couldn't council elections be held on 4 September 2021 by postal voting or online voting?

Authorised by Harry Wall, Australian Labor Party (NSW Branch) 49A Upper PiƩ St, Kirribilli NSW 2061

COMMUNITY 1ST HOW TO VOTE

To allow council elections to be held by postal voting or online voting, outside the circumstances current permitted under the Local Government Act 1993 (the Act), would require an amendment to that Act. The earliest this could occur is in the week starting on the 4 August when the NSW Parliament was scheduled to resume.

Even if the necessary amendments were passed, the NSWEC advised that it would not be logistically possible to distribute, receive and process postal votes for every elector in NSW prior to 4 September. Similarly the Commission's online voting systems could not accommodate every elector in NSW. Did the postponement of elections to 4 December 2021 affect the next term of councils?

The postponement of the elections will not affect the timing of future council elections, and the subsequent ordinary local government elections are scheduled to proceed in September 2024.

Why can’t I vote for mayor?

This election the mayor will be elected by a vote of councillors at their first meeting, likely to be held January 10.

The mayor will serve a two year term.

SUSTAINABLE AUSTRALIA PARTY HOW TO VOTE

Returning Officer North Sydney Council has appointed the NSWEC to conduct its 2021 election. The NSWEC has appointed a Returning Officer for the North Sydney local government area, who is located in Level 5, 1 James Place, North Sydney. The office is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, from 25 October to 4 December 2021. Phone: 1300 135 736.

Voting is Compulsory

Authorised by William Bourke 15/20 Burlington St, Crows Nest NSW 2065

Voting is compulsory for all electors where elections are being held. The penalty for not voting is $55.

For enquiries in languages other than English call the NSWEC interpreting service 13 14 50.

For hearing and speech impaired enquiries, call the NSWEC via the National Relay Service on 13 36 77.

NORTH SYDNEY 1st HOW TO VOTE

Read up on the candidates

JAMES MULLAN HOW TO VOTE

This issue of North Sydney Sun profiles Jilly Gibson, the Real Independents, North Sydney 1st, Team Elle, Community 1st’s Ian Mutton and Team Spenceley.

Check out our archives for profiles of candidates in past issues.

We wrote about the Sustainable Australia Party in August.

We wrote about Labor in August and October.

We wrote about Community 1st in July and October.

We wrote about Elle Prevost and James Spenceley in July.

And we wrote about James Mullan in July and October.

Check out the digital replicas of these editions at: Northsydneysun.com.au

The power of print

Living and thriving in mental health Earlier in 2021, local resident Chuck Anderson was leading a mindfulness and resilience program for one of the biggest employers in North Sydney: the National Broadband Network.

This program was inspired by his own mental health experiences where he wanted to show others that it was OK to struggle, and possible to thrive, while living with mental illness.

Now Anderson has set out on his own with partner Eric Emerick, launching their mental health and wellbeing corporate consultancy, ‘Living to Thrive’, from their Milsons Point base. They currently consult for medium to large sized companies building mentally healthy workplaces where employees can thrive. In the future, they want to focus on building and supporting community focused mental health and resilience initiatives.

The origins of ‘Living to Thrive’ stem from Anderson’s lived experience with his struggles and successes with his own mental health.

“In 2008, I was diagnosed with Depression, ADHD and General Anxiety Disorder. As a child, and into young adulthood, I always felt different than those around me, but I didn’t understand why as my feelings and symptoms did not yet have a ‘name’.

As an adult, I put considerable effort into educating myself and practicing self-care to help manage the day-today symptoms that I experience. The disorders are not all doom and gloom as they have taught me empathy and patience along with a perspective that many people do not have.”

“Unfortunately, in late 2013, I became severely ill with debilitating symptoms. I was unable to walk without falling over from dizziness and became nauseous and lethargic at random. Over a period of 12 months, I saw several different specialists, but none were able to provide a diagnosis

which led to a deep depression.”

Originally from the U.S., Anderson and his partner had already planned to move to Australia in 2014. With support from his doctors, they moved to Australia where he and his partner are now citizens. Upon arrival, he continued to look for answers from various specialists and his new GP, but still did not have a diagnosis.

“I clearly remember the moment when my GP said, “I’m afraid that we may be out of options for investigating a diagnosis”. He then handed me a pamphlet on mindfulness meditation.

I was not familiar with mindfulness or meditation, but I was willing to try anything.”

“I started learning more about the practice and science of mindfulness meditation. Within a few weeks, I was meditating daily and have done so ever since. While researching meditation, I came across the field of positive psychology that goes beyond traditional psychology which focuses on treating symptoms of mental illness. Positive psychology offers evidence-based tools to create new thinking patterns and behaviours for cultivating greater empathy, gratitude, optimism, happiness, self-compassion and much more.”

“After practising meditation and making positive changes to my thoughts and behaviours, my symptoms began to fade and eventually disappeared. I do not believe that the changes I made cured me, but they did offer me the knowledge and growth mindset to better manage my response to the symptoms.”

It was those lived experiences that led Anderson to create his mindfulness and resilience program at NBN Co. Anderson describes the beginnings of his initiative at NBN Co. “The program started with me simply sharing my story with anyone

interested. The growing interests from employees led to the creation of a year -round mindfulness and resilience program that I called ‘Mindful nbn’, and people loved it. What started as me wanting to share my story and knowledge, evolved into a strategiclevel program driven by a team of 12 volunteers, executive participation, five separate sub-initiatives, and the engagement of over 4,000 employees in 300+ events across Australia. Because of the support and passion of nbn employees at all levels, ‘Mindful nbn’ created measurable improvements in workforce wellbeing, inclusion, and engagement across the organisation.”

“And the program’s still running now and quite successfully,” Anderson tells the North Sydney Sun. “Throughout my seven years at nbn, I must have shared my personal story and presented various mental health and wellbeing topics to over 2,000 employees. From the beginning, my only intention was to inspire those that felt alone in their suffering. I have seen people smile, shed tears, and be encouraged by my words. Those moments were humbling and incredibly meaningful and I will never take that

for granted.”

In August of 2021, with the support of his partner, Eric Emerick, Anderson decided to strike out on his own launching ‘Living to Thrive’. With a background in psychology and many years of experience, he was ready to create a positive impact for businesses across Australia.

His firm provides four services.

“Our most popular service is our ‘Mental Health and Wellbeing Workshops and Programs’. I facilitate discussions on topics such as building resilience, mindfulness, stress management, empathy, self-compassion, and self-care. I often tie the material back to my own experiences to show the common humanity of struggle and triumph. I want to ensure my audience has a meaningful experience that moves and inspires them,” Anderson says.

The second is related to Designing and Delivering Mindfulness Programs, per what he was doing at NBN Co. “The third is Mental Health Public Speaking and Storytelling. My storytelling approach is what sets me apart from many other speakers as my goal is to create a connection with my audience that is authentic and meaningful.”

“Number four is around conducting Wellbeing Program Assessments by assessing and enhancing underperforming wellbeing programs within organisations,” Anderson explains.

With only four months since launch, Anderson has hosted mental health public events as well as worked with multiple clients in public service and not-for-profit. He and partner Eric are excited to see what’s next for ‘Living to Thrive’ in 2022.

CONTACT www.LivingtoThrive.com.au Email: ChuckAnderson @livingtothrive.com.au

Neutral Bay resident opens Ben Boyd Rd gallery A new art gallery and studio has opened in Ben Boyd Road, Neutral Bay. The gallery is owned by new local, Deane Russell, who is also the resident artist. However, he wants the gallery to grow into a wider community-based social hub.

Deane has been painting since the turn of the century, has had a number of successful exhibitions but over the past 10 years has been on a long challenge overseas and interstate and only recently moved into Neutral Bay. The gallery is also used as his studio and Deane paints in the space most days, although doesn’t want to be fixed on opening hours.

Current works include a number pieces from his recent sojourn back into the Northern Territory, while also reflecting previous canvasses and work living near the beach.

Deane is also a sculptor and is

showing a few of his works from clay firings using native timbers and earth materials from the outback in the NT. In addition to painting and sculpting, Deane is an avid fiction writer as well as a poet.

One of his aims is to grow the gallery into a community artist hub and feature local poetry nights early in the New Year.

There are no fixed opening hours as Deane wants the freedom to paint and travel, but if you pass by and the gallery is open, then he is happy to shout a coffee and chat about creativity.

The new art gallery is situated at the bottom end of Ben Boyd Rd near Kurraba Rd, adjacent to the Vintage Cellar outlet.

Deane Russell Art Gallery 21 Ben Boyd Road Neutral Bay, NSW, 2089

Team Elle promises practical innovation on Council FROM LEFT: Michelle Lingham, Elle Prevost, Candice Both, Melinda Smith and Anjana Kark Basnet

Independent candidate for Cammeraygal Ward Elle Prevost has a simple message: councils can make a real difference to people’s lives and they can do it through practical innovations that don’t cost much money.

“I really like to draw on what has been successful in other councils, whether it locally or internationally, and we can be a world class council if we draw from the best ideas from around the world,” she told the North Sydney Sun. “And one of those ideas that I really like is attaching a small contraption to traditional circular bins that you see

all around the area which enables you to put your recyclable plastic bottles in a cup holder rather than putting your plastic recyclables in the bin. They go on the outside. People who are doing return and earn can then go and collect them.”

“It means people aren’t bin diving to do the return and earn program.

And that plastic that would’ve been going straight into landfill has the opportunity to be recycled.”

“You know we have the recycling bins at certain locations, but for the most part, you’re looking at those standalone circular bins. And so I see

that as just a win-win and very low cost, as it attaches to the current bin.”

Another innovative idea floated by Prevost is to create a bee corridor.

“This has been done successfully in the Netherlands having native flora planted on top of bus stops and throughout the North Sydney CBD, that would provide a corridor for bees to pollinate every 500 metres, which is what they need to do to continue their journey. They need to re-energise with the pollen. So having a beautiful, natural garden on top of a bus stop fulfills a lot of needs in the North Sydney CBD, and it looks great as well, so I think a lot of people can get behind that,” she explained.

“There are a lot of innovative ideas that I’m presenting to the public that represent great bank for buck, as such.

Big ideas that don’t require a large amount of budget. And people can easily get on board with that. They see that as a really good way to spend their rate payer money.”

Prevost is heading an all-female team of five running for Cammeraygal.

If her name is familiar to readers this

is likely because of the prominent role she plays as a moderator of several Facebook community groups which span the local government district.

As for what motivated her to run for council, Prevost said: “I love the challenge of a problem and I think I've got the resources and the ability to find really good solutions for some pretty wacky problems that people have on a daily basis. So that’s something that I can really add. What differentiates me from other candidates is my ability to find innovations that specifically address problems that haven’t been solved today.”

Prevost said that a number of her initiatives are already in progress, such as getting more public kayak racks on the harbour foreshore, and getting a defibrillator installed at Waverton and Wollstonecraft stations, “This isn’t about getting elected, it is about doing the right thing for the community and getting the job done.”

Prevost also shares something in common with other candidates Stephen Barbour and Sophie Winton: all three have just become parents to newborn babies.

“When you have a child, your touch points with all levels of government increase. You can go through your twenties without really having much to do with any government organisations at all. And then suddenly you are looking at getting a Centrelink account so that you can get the childcare subsidy. You are going to the community health centre. Parks are so important

because you spend a fair chunk of your day there. Places and facilities that connect you with other parents in similar situation become your lifeline,” she observed.

“So for me, it’s definitely opened up a world which I hadn’t had much to do with until five years ago. And it’s also given me an insight of how important having community services are. There’s a lot of opportunities to expand on what local government offers people, whether you’re a new parent or if you’re an elderly person with some health concerns or just a community resident that wants to connect with people better.”

Prevost said that there are opportunities with the Berrys Bay development and Waverton Bowls Club to do “something that really hits the nail in the head with what the community’s looking for.”

As for Berrys Bay, she commented: “The future there is currently being discussed through the Berry's Bay working group, and there is potential for it to become a Heritage Fleet museum which is currently housed in Lilyfield. This is not in line with the community ideas that were put forward in the Waverton and Wollstonecraft Facebook groups- yet it is gaining momentum with strong lobbying from the fleet.”

“I am strongly opposed to turning Berry’s Bay into a high traffic tourist destination, and the environmental impact to the bay will be devastating to marine life. The disturbance to con-

Berrys Bay consultation opens

A simple cup holder device could enhance recycling taminated sediment will reduce safe recreation in the area.”

“There are other potential ideas that are more community focussed that I will be supporting.”

Warming to her theme, Prevost continued: “We’ve been very isolated during COVID and people are crying out for community meeting places, and ways to connect with each other.”

“The Sunset Series, which managed to sneak in between lockdowns, offered people a glimpse of a really positive community vibe. And so that sets the standard for what we could do that is great for everyone, whether you’re a young child or an older person or somewhere in between,” she said.

Prevost believes there is a ground swell for younger female candidates, something which her team represents.

“This is such a great opportunity to fill the council chambers with positive voices who are energetic, eager, and have great ideas that will make a difference. The new candidates who have put their hand up are united in ensuring that council is less about politics and personalities, and getting back to what is important- the community.”

“I am feeling really inspired that this will come to fruition on December 4th- as the community are telling me they are ready for a change.”

Prevost believes it is important to eliminate the rancour which has characterised Council proceedings: “Council meetings are crazier than a Married at First Sight dinner party, and this is not reflective of what constituents in North Sydney are expecting of their councillors!”

The Berrys Bay Community and Stakeholder Working Group, supported by Transport for NSW, is encouraging people to have their say on the future of Waverton Peninsula through a survey open from until Monday 29 November.

“This is a unique opportunity for the community to help shape the vision for Waverton and the Peninsula for generations to come,” state MP Felicity Wilson said.

“People are looking to connect with green space, and the Waverton foreshore has the opportunity to become the envy of Sydney, with opportunities for increased parkland, cycling paths, further on-water activities, or a place to eat and drink.

“We want to hear the community’s perspective on the future vision for Berrys Bay and its surrounds, so we can create a place for all to enjoy while respecting the heritage and character of the area.”

“I know how invested the local community is in the future of Waverton, including Berrys Bay, and we look forward to working hand in hand to get the best possible outcome.”

Transport for NSW is engaging with fellow landholders North Sydney Council, and the responses from this survey will help inform and shape the broader vision for Waverton.

Phoenix invests $186m in JV to develop in Sydney’s lower North Shore

By Trevis Cunningham Hong Kong’s Phoenix Property Investors has partnered with Australian property development industry giant Abadeen Group in a joint venture to develop boutique residential projects in Crows Nest, Neutral Bay and lower North Shore areas.

“We are very confident in the owner-occupied boutique market as we have seen housing prices escalate – this historically places pressure on the premium apartment market. The lack of supply, difficulty in creating and gaining approvals for boutique sites in prime locations ensures scarcity of product,” Abadeen founder Justin Brown said.

Phoenix launched the joint venture in June with seeds assets Abadeen acquired prior, including Koyo in Crows Nest, Enso in Neutral Bay as well as North Shore’s Naremburn. The first two projects, designed by Australian architecture firm Koichi Takada, have already been approved for development. An application to develop the third has been submitted and is pending approval.

Koyo is located in Rodborough Avenue. Crows Nest near North Sydney Boys High School.

Enso is located in Grosvenor St, Neutral Bay, near the Young Street plaza.

“Our strategic partnership with Abadeen is the realisation of a longconsidered investment thesis to build

a scalable residential development business targeting boutique, quality and desirable apartment living for owner-occupiers in highly sought-after neighbourhoods in Sydney,” said Phoenix head of Australian investments, Trent Winduss.

The joint venture consisting of 15 to 20 projects is expected to generate in excess of A$1 billion in gross revenue.

The partners are favouring locations within 10 kilometres of Sydney’s central business district, with most projects to generate an average of about A$100 million in gross revenue once completed.

We are fortunate that Phoenix shares our vision for the continued strength in this part of the market and they are a partner that understands development risk and can make informed investment decisions quickly,” said Abadeen’s executive director Joseph Tack.

This partnership hedges its bets on property agency Knight Frank’s projection that Sydney’s choice residential prices will increase by 10 percent this year and another 7 percent in 2022.

102 unit North Sydney luxury location launches Sydney based developer Aqualand has launched its latest property, a “once-in -a-generation” luxury apartment tower, Aura, in North Sydney. The location boasts 102 spacious residences, utilising both “the highest standard in

Koyo in Crows Nest materials and the most modern best practices in design.”

Aqualand said balconies and winter gardens opening from each apartment with flexible floorplans to accommodate a balance between work and home life are but a few of the draws to those looking to move right in.

“Units have been designed deliberately oversized to allow for more individualized options depending upon each resident’s lifestyle. Marble, toughened fluted glass and quality tiling adorn the spaces of each Aura home,” it said.

Among the amenities available to Aura residents include a pool and gym on the ground floor, dining and entertainment on level nine, and a sun deck,

barbecue area and dining rooms on the top level.

Residents will also have access to dedicated concierge services, Aqualand’s Etymon Projects, to bring the 5-star hotel experience directly to their home.

“The vision for AURA is simple enough, but ambitiously bold. We see this as a once-in-a-generation development, shaping the future of North Sydney and modern luxury living in Australia,” said Aqualand founder and managing director Jin Lin. Those wanting to bid on the first stage of 102 units will have their choice of one, two and three bedroom apartments, starting from $995,000.

Aqualand has set December 4th.

James Spenceley wants to hear from the quiet voices of North Sydney Entrepreneur James Spenceley has kicked off his campaign to be elected to North Sydney Council’s St Leonards Ward, promising to established a charter of behaviour for councillors and an initiative called “Connect22” designed to take the pulse of the community and inform decision making.

“We need a census of what people believe, what people feel,” he told the North Sydney Sun over a coffee in Grosvenor Lane, Neutral Bay. “We hear that people don’t want overdevelopment yet people don’t want run down buildings either. We want to protect our streetscapes but we also want nice areas to be able to develop our own houses. Everyone’s got a political view that they’re either antidevelopment or pro-development.”

Pointing at a building across the road from us in Neutral Bay, he remarks: “This one over here, leaks. Every time I went into the Malaysian restaurant at the top there in the rain, you got rained on. So these are not fit for purpose buildings anymore. I think if you spoke to most people out here, we would be in favour of keeping the village feel, but having better infrastructure in the major corridors.”

“But I don’t know that for sure. I’m just guessing what people think. So let’s put it out there. Let’s do an unbiased, non-political scientific databased approach and survey the entire community on what they hold important and build a 20 year plan for the area with a vision that can outlast any council because it’s built off the views of 50,000 people. Let’s go out and speak to the community en masse in a data-driven scientific way.”

CONNECT 22/10: Spenceley calls this the Connect 22/10 Policy Initiative, which is all about a concrete plan to connect with the pulse of the broader community and provide Council with independent data to create a longer term plan that aligns directly with the community view. Unlike political surveys, Spenceley would delegate the drafting to research professionals to reduce question bias.

Spenceley’s idea came from a similar exercise he undertook at Airtasker, the freelance work app company which he chairs.

“At Airtasker we used to think we knew what users wanted. And then we hired data scientists. And then we really found out what users wanted, because we could tell how many people we needed, what type of demographic, how it was structured. And we could actually put some science behind it and our views were often wrong, Spenceley says.

The Cremorne resident is easily the most accomplished business person to enter the race, chairing both Airtasker and Swoop, a wireless internet service provider. He was also in the news recently having been appointed to the

National Australia Bank, but after some vituperative pushback from financial media, he relinquished the position, freeing up more time for his Council run.

“I always like to be busy, but the ultimate goal of doing it for money is not something that’s ever very strong with me,” he explains. “When I started Vocus (now Australia’s 4th largest telco), it wasn’t to make money. It was to create something. We wanted to do internet better. We wanted to get rid of the download caps on broadband so we bought our own internet capacity to the US.” “I joined Airtasker because I actually really liked the vision of helping people realise the value of their skills, which is still today our company motto. Allowing people to have a safety net if they lose their job. They can come to Airtasker, get paid a fair amount,” he says. “And not be like Uber, who dictate how much you earn and tries to squeeze it down. We want to encourage people to earn more money. I’ve always had this desire to do things that do good.”

Spenceley believes what he can bring to Council are the lessons he has learned as to how to figure out problems in business.

“I’ve made a lot of mistakes to learn from, but equally, I’ve run big businesses, I’ve run efficient businesses.

I’ve used technology to make businesses more effective and to make consumers lives more easy, be that from building apps to help our business grow at Vocus, to Airtasker is a simple app of its own. I’ve created good cultures. If you go and talk to anyone that’s ever worked for me, they’ve loved working in the companies that I’ve been involved with.”

He continues: “I’ve learned to make compromises. I’ve learned to consider the side effects of decisions as well.

And I think people who are getting into politics early, who haven’t had careers in businesses or are just getting into business, often think about things very one dimensionally, like, “Oh, well to do that, we just need less cars on the road.” Well okay, what’s the impact of having less cars? There’s flow on effects for everything, every decision you make.”

TIME TO LISTEN: “It’s very easy to come into this with really strong views, ‘I believe we need this,’ and the harder thing to do is, is to come into that and go, what does the community need? And now let’s just not listen to the loud people. Let’s listen to the others, let’s consider the view of the people who don’t have time to go to meetings. The people who don’t know how to actually communicate their views.”

“I loved the debate on the pool, which I followed really closely. But the only people that I heard on debates on the pool were the people who designed

it or swam there weekly for 50 years.

We never heard from the people who didn’t go there because there wasn’t enough change facilities, because the stairs were dangerous for little kids. So how do you balance those decisions?”

Hence, the Connect 22/10 idea, which he sees as the best way to tale the pulse of a community he has called home for his adult life.

“The first place, when I moved out of home from growing up in Belrose, was in Cremorne. I’ve lived in Crows Nest. I know every cafe, every coffee shop. I know the ones that struggle because there’s no parking. I just love the area.”

“But it’s no longer a destination.

It's no longer a place people go out.

People from the eastern suburbs don’t go, Let’s go to Cremorne for dinner.

No one says that. Nobody says that.” he remarks.

“I think it’s actually the council.

There’s been so much politics and so much infighting that we haven’t actually done a very good job at promoting our areas and making them beautiful and making them proud and defined.

Look at the North Sydney sign coming onto the Warringah Freeway from Neutral Bay.” “It’s just a piece of metal with North Sydney written on two poles.

One wood pole has fallen over and it’s being held up by string. I was driving through Mascot yesterday, actually picking up some stuff for the home reno and Mascot has been transformed. They’ve got beautiful manicured kind of gardens in between their roads and dividers and all this sort of stuff,” he observes.

“You drive across the Roseville Bridge, there’s an enormous planter of these beautiful flowers with a Kuringgai sign at the other end of the bridge,

right. We have a sign falling down. So that’s the metaphor.”

“I think if you love your area, you shop more locally. You enjoy being there, property values go up, there’s all these good things that come from it.

Crows Nest is the closest to it.”

“Crows Nest has done that really well. Kirribilli, I think has got its own little local feel but certainly on this side, on St Leonards, I think Cremorne, Neutral Bay, Cammeray, these are areas that need some looking after.”

MORE PRIDE: Spenceley also wants residents to have more pride in their Council and he believes that starts with a change in the standards of behaviour at meetings. “One of the main reasons I’m seeking election to North Sydney Council is to improve the behaviour, reduce the politics-first culture and create a culture from the top that not only allows Council to get the great big things done but also allows the little to be done right automatically,” he says.

“In order to achieve that we need to focus the entire council organisation from top to bottom on designing and living by a great culture.”

“From there making the right decisions for the ratepayers, we will not be because of politics or personal ambition or agenda but because that is what our culture dictates.”

“That’s why I propose a Charter of Behaviour for North Sydney called Beyond22. My dream is that everyone elected signs up to it and will hold themselves accountable to the charter of behaviour.”

Says Spenceley, “Good culture isn’t and about posters on the wall, it must be tangible and it must be lived by example. You must live the culture for it to be entrenched. “

Ian Mutton’s plan for more green space Councillor Ian Mutton has a perfect retort to those who make claims about Liberals dressed up as independents.

He says he abandoned the Liberals in the early 1970s over the Vietnam War. It’s a not too subtle reminder that not only is he independent but he is of a vintage that he doesn’t really need to take his ideological cues from people a generation or two below him.

Mutton is heading the Cammeraygal ticket for Community 1st, in alliance with sitting councillor Jessica Keen, who ran for mayor in 2017 and is now leading their ticket for St Leonards.

He has only been on the Council for one term but he has already etched out a key role for himself as the ranking lawyer on Council: figuring in key processes such as the sub-committee oversight of the renovation of North Sydney Pool. And if he is re-elected next month he could also, along with Keen, play a central role in determining who is the next mayor.

He spoke with Grahame Lynch.

Lavender Bay if repurposed as a walking track would connect various parks and build them into a mosaic of integrated parks, at the same time, adding near to four hectares of open green space to the community.

If you go up to the tragedy that the government’s inflicting on Cammeray Golf Course, much of that infrastructure that they're building, that they want to put on the surface of the land, should be buried.

The building tunnels take traffic under the surface. So should the infrastructure and the ventilation system also be underneath.

The opportunity is there now, and what council has to do is motivate the state government to stop talking about what it might do in the future in terms of making park plans available, and do it now instead, at the very time they’re damaging our community, and they’re taking parks away with their tunnels and freeways.

SUN: Now, if you are elected on to council in the next term, what will you Ian Mutton and Jessica Keen do to implement these policies? It’s one had in recent years, and indeed the last thing to obviously talk about them, but SUN: In your estimation, will we end MUTTON: Look, what I really learned what can you do to make it happen, and up with that model situation postrate lift of 7%, we are still significantly was how green I was when I started. how will you further these goals? election, or are we facing another term low in rates that are when compared to And that really surprised me from my Mosman, Lane Cove, or Willoughby. of rancour. background (as a lawyer for decades).

So, I know people talk about the rate MUTTON: This is not an issue of one The other thing that became really councillor standing on a soap box, this MUTTON: It’s going to be a challenge rises being high, but it’s really imimportant as far as I was concerned portant to understand that people in is an issue of working with all of the but with good will and shared objecwas, previously, I sat on the outside of other councillors to get a shared vision. tives should be able to be made to work. North Sydney also have very high excouncil and was very critical of staff. I pectations for services.

And sometimes you’ve got to comproIt has to be made to work because the now actually have quite a high opinion mise to get those shared visions. We do alternative would be the appointment Now, we don’t get a complaint that of the senior staff at North Sydney the library resource is excessive, we need to get a shared vision that we can of an administrator.

Council. And you can only do that if you project, and dare I say it even impose don’t get complaints about poor sanitasee it operating from the inside. tion. We get praise for that. on the state government, that’s how SUN: One of the big issues raised in In terms of what have I achieved? I It’s not good enough for people to sit these things are going to be achieved. this election is over-development. actually see the capital works program You’ve evolved your view on this but is back and say, ‘I don’t want an increase And that may mean that the North that saw the swimming pool comthere really much Council can do given in rates’ when we have a rate that is Sydney community actually have to menced is actually very important. significantly lower than our peer counthe powers of state planners? stand up to the state government and A long term investment to build up cils, and we’re struggling to meet the tell it what we want rather than have the amenities rather than just flashing cost of delivering those services. Those the state government say what it’s pre- MUTTON: The Neutral Bay high rise paint around the corner. I think things pared to give. They can’t do that unless vision is one that I no longer share. And people need to tell us what services do like the Olympic pool, when it was built we have a unified council with that they want reduced? Then they someI certainly don’t share it after seeing in 1936 was visionary, I think the curwhat can happen down at St. Leonards . times come back and say, we’ll do shared vision. rent Olympic pool is visionary. And I things more efficiently. That’s a cowI think we need to be mindful that I will work hard to bring about a think councils need to be visionary. ard’s way out. You actually have say collegiate approach from Council. I will there’s always the fear that the state They need to be planning not for the how you are going to achieve the savgovernment will, through one of its work hard to get rid of the adversarial next couple of years, but the next decapproach that seems to be the hallmark planning alternatives, step in and sanc- ings to keep the rates down. ades.

Now, is North Sydney ploughing tion high-rise. So, I think actually as a of this council and indeed the one before it. This is a time for change. There council need to express a single view. I into debt? No, it’s not. The debt levels SUN: Now let’s move on to this elecare subject to the financing of pool. hope we will express a single view that is time for councillors to actually work tion and what you are running on in They’re in fine order. Does Council on shared visions, rather than trying to high density without serious additions terms of major issues. to amenities such as park lands, such as have property that it could sell? Yes, it’s find the differences and focus on the got a lot of real estate. Perhaps $100 walkways, such village areas is not on. differences. What we’ve got now, what MUTTON: There is an incredible million worth that I believe Council we’ve had in the past three years, is not shortage of open green space in North should seriously look at, whether it SUN: I wanted to move on to a quesgood. What we need in the future is Sydney available to the public. And that shared vision, that preparedness to tion about the financial side of Council, wants to retain that property, or whethwith that, there’s actually huge opporer that property can be sold, to produce and there are concerns that the councome together. tunity to increase the amount of open cil’s getting heavily into debt, and obvi- capital to increase the overall amenities green space that’s available to the pub- SUN: Will that be assisted by the move ously it’s increasing rates by the maxiin our area. mum allowable amount. Are you comlic. And just starting at Berry’s Bay on If I am elected, I will be driving one to council vote for mayor? fortable with the trajectory of council the Western foreshore. The state govthing in Council, and that is a complete financially? ernment has been promising that to re-evaluation. An arms length commerMUTTON: What we have at the moNorth Sydney year in, year out since cial valuation of all of the council propment is a mayor that is from time to 2016. I think the time is now for the erties and analysis of the rental return time out of step with the majority. And MUTTON: The council base rate was set when Ted Mack was in power. He state government to deliver it as prom- that is fuelling, if you like, the divide on those properties, and then I’d be favoured the idea that the business sec- encouraging a serious debate about ised and not as some sort of barter deal that exists in council at the moment. I tion would subsidise the residential to win support for the freeway and the what we should do with the capital tied think the reality of direct election is it section. And that gave rise to a very low up in those properties. tunnels. doesn't work. The reality of it is you Likewise, the incredibly underutiLeave it in the properties, or use it need the speaker or the mayor to actu- base residential rate in North Sydney.

And even with all of the increases we’ve for getting amenities for North Sydney. lised rail line between Waverton and ally have the support of Council.

SUN: What would you regard as your achievements as a councillor?

ZOE BAKER AND MARYANN BEREGI are two of the most experienced councillors in North Sydney, and uniquely, have both served as deputy mayor.

But their candidacy under The Real Independents was the last of the major groups to be announced—literally just a month out from the December 4 election—and their group is now mounting a blitzkrieg campaign through the LGA. Grahame Lynch caught up with them for this interview.

Real Independents want integrity, sustainability and transparency

SUN: Can you take us through the major themes that you are running on this election?

BAKER: Integrity, sustainability, and transparency.

I think there’s a real issue at North Sydney Council with a fundamental lack of transparency at present. This will be my fourth term if I’m elected.

In my first, second, and third terms, if I wanted to inspect a council file to fully understand what had happened on anything from a tender through to a DA or through to a planning matter, it was automatically provided. Now it’s almost impossible to get the information that I regard as integral to being able to undertake my civic duties in this current council. I think that’s fundamentally anathema to, one, what the community expect and, two, the leadership role that the council should be taking in terms of where a level of government, we have an obligation to serve the public and administer public funds. Similarly, we’ve had more closed meetings, more decisions behind closed doors in this council than in any of my recollection.

Again, particularly on the matters like negotiating with the state government over compensation for the use of council parklands over the Western Harbor Tunnel for the construction.

Why should it be secret from our community what the negotiations are between two levels of government and involve public land and the expenditure of public funds?

And then in terms of sustainability, the biggest concern I have, is we went from amongst the lowest rates in Sydney in 2017 with almost no debt to now ranking in the middle. A 22% increase over the last three years. I think we’ve had a reduction in service levels.

We’ve certainly gone into a massive amount of debt over the pool. We’re in deficit and the opportunity costs of not doing a careful consideration of those sorts of projects for other services and projects and for the next generation of the council, I think potentially it’s almost unsustainable.

SUN: North Sydney Pool has been a big issue for you in the last term, particularly in regards to its cost and its domination of capex spend, right?

BEREGI: The pool is the single biggest piece of infrastructure undertaking that the council’s ever done. I’ve never seen a less transparent, less open process in my life. I find it really unacceptable, and that’s using the word lightly, that the information

available to councillors is tiered in that some councillors have more information than others with three on a steering committee.

There is an argument that that’s really not quite consistent with the local government act because you can’t sub-delegate that sort of decision to three.

It won’t be surprising to see the costs going up, given the climate now that we’re in. And we already have a huge spend and a huge overcapitalisation on a very constrained heritage site. The opportunity cost of doing that is that we’ve ripped money out of all the other budgets of the council. So open space has lost $3 million budget.

Engineering and works: they’re going to take money out of that as well.

Unless you have financial sustainability, every other sustainability cannot be sustained. I argued against the (seven percent) rate rise as being very lazy politics. It was so easy just to put your hand out and ask the rate payer for more money, rather than having a look in your own backyard and run an efficiency dividend.

The spending is out of control.

I guess the other big issue in transparency has been the cutting out of the community from the council. Prior to this council, and I’ve been on two terms, I was elected in 2012, we had the community at the council meeting.

We actually listen to them, you had to make your vote with them sitting there. We’ve got a public forum now, which really separates the community from the council. You have to declare whether you’re speaking for or

against. And it’s two for, two against, and the mayor chooses who gets to speak.

SUN: MaryAnn you make a point that when you vote against something, it doesn’t mean you don’t oppose it, it’s that maybe you didn’t understand it because there wasn’t enough disclosure of the underlying information.

BEREGI: Well, I think you’re absolutely right, Grahame. Because I think I voted against pretty much all the financial statements, all the investments, all the annual reports, because quite clearly they’re put in front as if we’re just nodding dogs and we’re just going to vote it through and not question anything. Sadly, that’s what happens. There is no discussion of the finances. As soon as you question anything, then you’re a troublemaker, or you’re badgering, or you’re a dissenting voice. We don’t have those and that is really poor for the democratic process when you’re actually spending public money.

BAKER: I think as a councillor you’ve got a role to be a grit in the oyster. And so questioning things and checking things and holding bureaucrats to account is a really important part.

But in order for that to happen, you have to have a culture at the elected level and also at the bureaucratic level that embraces having difficult conversations about an issue. And not about the personality, and not being hostile to the person speaking and therefore not prepared to explore the substance

of what they’re saying.

SUN: In terms of the depiction of yourselves as a grit in the oyster, were there times in the last council in the four year term where you did prevail, rather than being like permanent opposition? Where you actually persuaded Council round to your viewpoints and prevailed on the night?

BAKER: Often on planning matters and on matters of state planning. So we may not have the council at a position, say on the Western Harbour Tunnel that MaryAnn and I would like to see. But it started with... that they say they support the project, but we have moved them towards what I believe is closer to the community point of view, which is that the impacts are devastating.

And so the majority now advocate for some amelioration. I don’t think it’s enough but they have moved. For example, the 2036 plan and the approach of the state government to additional heights and density in Crows Nest and St Leonards along the Pacific Highway. I think on the night we are able to persuade and change positions that would appear to have been set in stone.

SUN: Some observers say the Council is dysfunctional because people are fighting all the time. That’s including you two and Jilly Gibson and often they place a pox on both your houses.

Is that a fair characterisation? And Continued on page 23

North Sydney 1st wants Council to embrace Liberal values The most overtly Liberal-aligned group running for Council elections says its time for a change, putting forward a team with a blend of experience from the current and previous councils along with fresh rising political voices.

North Sydney 1st is not endorsed by the Liberal Party but its ticket features party members and it uses campaign iconography and phrasing which evokes the party’s national brand. Lead candidate in St Leonards Ward, Stephen Barbour, is a serving councillor and a recent deputy mayor, while Sophie Winton, a rising star in the Liberal party, is heading the Cammeraygal ticket.

The two tickets also feature high profile running mates: former councillors Richard Pearson and Veronique Marchandeau.

Barbour and Winton were interviewed by Grahame Lynch.

SUN: Stephen, as you just mentioned, you were the deputy mayor for many years and on council for many years. What are you regard as your greatest achievements on council to date?

SUN: First up, a simple question.

Why are you running?

SUN: Now, the council ultimately does get things done despite the personality dysfunction doesn't it?

BARBOUR: I’m running because I think it is time for change. I’ve been deputy mayor. I’ve watched the current mayor for 9 years and I know that the council needs changing because I’ve seen it at the coal face. I’m running also with two very experienced ex-councillors, who we were on council together in Genia McCaffery’s day. And the council ran a lot differently with a lot less animosity than it has during the current mayor’s reign.

For anyone who looks at our meetings, they know she can’t chair a meeting well. And there’s still so much animosity on Council itself.

WINTON: I think it’s really important for young women to see females entering politics. I think it’s just so important for young women to have female role models to look at and think, ‘Hey, yeah. One day I can do that too.’ And really, the best way for that to happen, and for that societal change to take place, is for them to be able to see it in the flesh.

The other reason is I’m a young mum. And I just really want to make sure that around North Sydney, there’s really adequate facilities for young children and young families. I really want to make sure that there’s enough green space for kids to run around in. But also, that they are adequately equipped so that kids are protected, particularly against the harsh Australian sun, which we all enjoy.

I think again, it’s just, it is really important to have a mix. That’s why our team, North Sydney 1st, really stands ahead of the pack. You’ve got Stephen, who’s got a couple of years on me and very, very experienced. So I think it’s good to have a bit of a balance where we can really draw on the experience of older and more experienced councillors as well as the fresh ideas that the younger generation can bring into the arena.

BARBOUR: There was a core group of us to creating the Anzac Park Public School. That’s the biggest one because every time I drive past, I see kids going to a school that didn’t used to be there. One of the things I introduced was exercise equipment in playgrounds for elderly people or adults to use while the kids were playing. And that equipment’s been monopolised because everybody’s just getting to the park and taking children to the park that they can also do exercise themselves. I like to think that I help council run it smoother than it would without me there because I mediate.

BARBOUR: It does, but I worry we waste money and time getting there.

What I want to do is chop off the money and time wasting for the council to get to a resolution that we want.

I would like us to have a dedicated person on council to deal with small business, especially after we’ve just been through COVID and they’ve all copped such a beating.

SUN: Sophie, obviously, I can’t ask you the exact same question because you’re not on council currently But can you give me, I guess, a potted CV of what experiences that you could bring to council?

WINTON: I’m 38. I have a bachelor degree in media, so have worked largely in media and public relations for my career. I’m currently undertaking a master’s in international law and policy. I’m a public servant. I won’t go into too much detail about which department as I’m sure you can appreciate. But I’ve done a lot of work on the COVID response and actually was based over at the State Emergency Operation Centre with the New South Wales government throughout the height of COVID working on how best to communicate the crisis comms to the New South Wales public.

And I think that experience has really allowed me to really have a foot in the door in terms of talking at the local level about those things that really matter to residents. Not just in terms of health, but really getting clear messages out where it matters is strong suit of mine. I’m also on the New South Wales Liberal Women's Council. Which basically again, is just helping young women or all women get into politics and really try to level that playing field. And I am a local.

SUN: Now one of the criticisms that has been made of some independents,

Stephen Barbour and Sophie Winton is that they say you are trying to pretend to be independent when actually you’re Liberals. But you seem both very open about it.

WINTON: Absolutely. We would love to be endorsed. But unfortunately, the party’s not endorsing any candidates. No, we wear Liberal membership as a badge of honour.

BARBOUR: When I ran in the last election, we said independent because we weren’t endorsed. That was the only reason we said independent, then we were caned for it. That wasn’t my group. So this time I’m just saying, ‘Look, we are Liberals. We’re not endorsed Liberals.’ That’s why sometimes we are listed as independent in paperwork because we’re not endorsed. And we are also self-funded.

SUN: You actually use the slogan, ‘Liberal values’. Can you explain to me what that means? What are Liberal values in the context of the North Sydney LGA? BARBOUR: In the context of this LGA, we support business. I don't support over-development. I never have. But sensible development.

We see business as part of the community. I don’t think it gets recognised enough and supported enough because in this area, small business and large business exists quite strongly. We have Coca-Cola in North Sydney as well as a few other larger companies. I just, for me, it’s a fair go for everyone. But a fair go is born out of business doing well, the council being run efficiently, economically and responsibly.

I’m not about just spending all our money, higher taxes and planting trees. I’m just not about that. Sure, I want to plant trees, but we have to have money to do that. We were the ones that started the advertising on

bus stops as a revenue source, outside Amber Jakeman of raising taxes.

And I’ve again, pushed for that to be updated so that we gain more revenue from advertising on bus stops and other infrastructure.

And this is for me, a Liberal solution.

WINTON: We definitely want to see a balance, a savvy balance that takes economic ideals really seriously and gives them quite a bit of weight, at least equal footing as other things.

For me, green spaces is a huge part of why I want to get onto Council and just make sure that they are really taken care of, nurtured and provided for residents in the best way. But I completely support what Stephen’s said in that we need the money to do that. And the only way to get that money is really a Liberal approach that takes economics seriously.

BARBOUR: One of the ways to get there is through council, is for council to get on with each other and talk to that community, the business community. And the business community to have faith that when they talk to council, they're talking to a cohesive group who understands their issues.

SUN: Now I also want to talk about opposition to the Beaches Link and Western Harbour tunnel, which of course, is a big project for the state government. What’s your take on that? And what would you do differently if you were running council?

BARBOUR: It’s a solution that my understanding is the majority want.

The implementation is a problem. It could be done better.

I don’t think the party profits from people who are just saying yes to everything that comes up. I think we Continued next page

Real Independents talk financial sustainability Continued from page 21 what’s your characterisation of where how it can improve in future?

BEREGI: It’s funny how it seems that local councils are held to a higher account than state governments and federal governments, because I can't say that particularly they’re well managed either.

I don’t really believe after watching Question Time, and recently even the Bear Pit (NSW Parliament), that councils can be held out to be any worse than that But on the whole, I think the issue is that the meetings are very difficult because meeting practice isn’t followed. Some councillors are allowed to speak, some councillors aren’t. Dissenting voices or questioning is almost not permitted. And so it does look to the outsider that it is improper.

But if you have proper meeting practice where all views are allowed to be shared and aired and questions, then it works. Going back to when Genia (McCaffery) was the mayor, you wouldn’t see debating from the chair to the extent that we see it now.

Do you want a council where every agenda item just goes through and everyone just says yes?

I think if that’s what we want, then you may as well get rid of the whole system because that’s not democracy.

That’s autocracy.

SUN: What impact do you envisage from the change of voting system where the councillors vote for the mayor instead of the electors?

BEREGI: Well, I guess we’re yet to see how it operates, but what it does

show is that at one point in time the mayor has majority support on the floor of the council.

BAKER: I think there’s also an incentive to the person who is then the mayor to continue to find ways to work to keep the confidence of those of the majority in the council.

SUN: If you prevail in the elections and you have a majority of 6 out of 10 plus on the floor, would you be seeking to perhaps reverse some of these projects such as the pool? Or try and explore options to get out of exposure that the council has to some of these costs?

BAKER: I think a prudent council will take a very careful look at the commitments that this council has made and review them. Review them in the context of COVID and what does that mean for the longer term finances? What does it mean for the longer term needs of the community?

I wouldn’t be able to say to you sitting here now that I have an aim or a desire to reverse projects that are already underway.

There are policies that haven’t yet been applied that I think ought to be reviewed and possibly reversed.

One of those, for instance, for me, and this is my personal position, is the Military Road Planning Study. It was not popular. It is going to result in 12 stories. I don’t think that it has a really great planning justification.

So I’d like to see a review and a potential reversal of that policy, but there’s no application currently before council that’s been put in from anyone because it was only adopted within the last few months.

There was a desire from the bureaucratic side of the council certainly to revisit the special rate variation (which allows 7% annual rate rises) and the increase. They applied for five years and they only got three. And so that’s something that I’d want to resist going further because... I quote Mary Ann more often than not, which is measure twice, cut once. And certainly it’s the obligation of the council to really carefully look at its own efficiencies before.

SUN: I also would have thought state and federal grants may be more difficult to come by in future too.

BEREGI: I’m not sure how many times you can dip into the regional fund to fund North Sydney Pool. But we do have an obligation to look at both policies and projects in this light because it’s all about being prudent and respecting the rate per dollar and not just putting your hand out when things get too much. We’ve already put up fees and charges.

BAKER: There’s a structural issue facing all councils, which is longer term. North Sydney was in a very good position because it had a very low reliance comparatively on rates as a source of revenue and fees and charges were a small portion of it. And then it’s got a property portfolio and an asset portfolio, and the rest of it comes from federal and state grants.

I think in all fairness, and certainly with a commitment to equity, those grants have to start to go to the regions and to rural communities. Not least because of commitments to COP26. You don’t want to leave to the next one or two ahead of you who are

North Sydney 1st explains its election platform Continued from previous page need it, but again, I think the way they’re implementing it could be done better. Now, I would say that as a Liberal group, we have easier access, especially if we get elected, to the people making these decisions.

WINTON: You want to make sure it’s done properly, want to make sure it’s implemented in the right way. And I guess again, I go back to my emphasis on green space and I guess looking at some of the ramifications it may have, or could possibly have if not implemented in the right way around Cammeray. I think for both Stephen and I, having young families and being parents is always top of mind. .

SUN: Another hot topic is the big developments taking place in Crows Nest and the concerns that infrastructure, particularly social infrastructure, might not keep up. What’s your take on that? And do you feel that Council has to do more in that area and to make sure that it does remain a liveable part of the municipality?

BARBOUR: Yes. I think we need to lobby more and we need to feel more like we are equal and invited to the table. To the Metro, there’s a lot of state building and state legislation that allows for large building to happen above the land.

I would like us to have a faster recognition and a faster say into those decisions. And I again come back to, if there was a core Liberal team on Council, we would just have easier access and get that decision faster. I think the state government does often recognise these sort of things, but the process takes so long for them to hear it, whereas we could short circuit that.

SUN: We’re moving away from a direct election of mayor to a councilelected mayor. What does that mean in terms of changing the dynamic of this election and the next council?

BARBOUR: The reason there is so much animosity still, is because the mayor sits with without a majority on council. It’s very hard, as much as the mayor would like to push things through, she doesn’t have a majority to

automatically do that.

The mayor that gets elected this time will have the weight of council with them. I will talk to anybody as anybody who knows me knows. I have no problems talking to Labor, or Greens, or whoever else, as long as we’re reaching a solution together.

And the way the mayor has to function is to have a majority on that council. Currently we have a councillor in a dispute with Council and we have a $300,000 bill on that one.

All that can be avoided if we just get on. And the best way to get on is to, same as in the public democracy, have a majority. And to a majority that has to be elected by the people sitting around that council.

WINTON: I think it’s really important to have a mix of young and old. And also, to re-evaluate what the mayoral position might look like.

It’s been the same for a little while.

And I think it’s really good to really reconsider whether that is the best approach and who would be best to fill that position.

having to grapple with the terrible decisions you’ve made, either the ones that relate to liveability and planning that fundamentally change the character of where we live or more importantly the financial sustainability of the council.

I’m not a politician. I have no desire to go any further. I see myself as someone who’s born and lived in North Sydney and who wants to contribute to the next generations.

SUN: There’s obviously a big cohort of very low engagement voters. They don’t read my newspaper, they don’t read Facebook groups about this. They really don’t care. For those low engagement voters, what is your message to them as to why they should, A, vote and, B, vote for you?

BAKER: I think everyone should vote. One, the vote was hard fought for women. So I particularly have a passion that women should always exercise that vote because women across the globe, but particularly in Australia, pioneered and suffered to provide for it. I think they should vote for us because if you do have low engagement, you should put your hands in people who are engaged and are there and trust in them being motivated to do the right thing by the whole of the community without being beholden to any vested interests.

BAKER: One of the reasons I even ran for Council was that if you don’t care, then really don’t complain either.

It’s really incumbent on all of us, not just the elected people, to make the place better for everybody, yourself and the people that follow you.

Japanese dance exercise workshop Experience Japanese dance in a relaxing atmosphere. You can exercise gently with the graceful movement used in Japanese dance.

Junko (the instructor) will teach a slow yet effective dance exercise called NOSS (Nihon Odori Sports Science).

NOSS is not a traditional dance but it is an exercise based on the graceful movement used in Japanese dance. It could be a good start for people who are interested in leaning Japanese traditional dance.

It is designed for all ages but especially beneficial for seniors who want to maintain their strength without stressing their hearts. Japanese dance helps kids concentrate well and coordinate their bodies. Children over 7 years old are welcome.

Sun. 19 December 2021 12:30 pm – 1:15 pm AEDT Sydney City Ballet School 5 Myrtle Street North Sydney, NSW 2060 Tickets: $15 https://tinyurl.com/v3y2vvtu