Bypassed as a Teal, Victoria Walker stakes her own claim as an experienced independent reformer

By Grahame Lynch

Helen Conway isn’t the only independent claiming inside knowledge of how government works and how to fix it at the next state election. Step forward, Victoria Walker, a McMahons Point resident, who actually sought to be the Teal independent candidate for North Shore, and having been overlooked in favour of Conway, has now decided to run for office under her own steam.

Walker, like Conway, has an extensive CV, particularly in government. Among her many achievements: she says she set up a NSW Education Department Economic and Demographic Planning Unit, was director of the NSW Parliament Public Accounts Committee and later, its Victorian equivalent, was a consultant to the Queensland Electoral & Administrative Review Commission, was a Senior Director of Performance Audit at the

Australian National Audit Office, and a Director of the Audit Division in NSW Health. Along the way she has also been a tutor and a book editor.

Most recently, she has served as the secretary of the Lavender Bay Precinct Committee and tells the North Sydney Sun she was motivated to run for North Shore because “I think this is a seriously important election and I don’t think either of the major parties are going to implement the reforms that I think are important.”

Walker lists these as reform of State planning and development; demanding action to address the impacts of climate change; restoring integrity and democracy in government, and ensuring all citizens get a fair go.

Urban planning is one of her biggest bugbears, particularly what she sees as the over-development of North Sydney which takes place under what she characterises as an indifferent local member who “waives away concerns by appealing to the greater good.”

As to why her and not another candidate: “I’m not just virtue signalling.