Council elections: Clover Moore wins huge majority, puts chokehold on Baird government

AN emboldened Clover Moore is set to become Mike Baird’s worst nightmare after winning a thumping new majority at Town Hall on Saturday.

• COUNCIL ELECTIONS: FEUDS, A FLOOD AND FATIGUE

AN emboldened Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore is set to become Premier Mike Baird’s worst nightmare after winning a thumping new majority at Town Hall and vowing to use her renewed powers to fight the state government.

Defying Liberal claims that Sydney was sick of Ms Moore, who has been mayor for 12 years, the inner city voted for her in droves in Saturday’s council elections.

Re-elected Sydney Mayor Clover Moore yesterday.

The divisive choker-wearing chief is set to put a chokehold on the Baird government after being returned for a record fourth term as Lord Mayor with 60 per cent of the vote — a personal swing to her of 10 per cent.

The Liberals’ Christine Forster was a distant second with 17 per cent of the vote as of last night.

Significantly, Ms Moore’s political party is on course to claim six or even seven of the 10 seats at Town Hall, handing her extra ammo to battle Mr Baird on a series of fronts.

She previously held five seats. The final result should be known by Wednesday.

Newly-returned Sydney Lord Mayor, Clover Moore / Picture: Mark Evans

Ms Moore, whose victory ensures her another four years in the top job at Town Hall, wasted no time in lobbing a ­series of grenades at the Baird government.

Moore has already indicated she will fight the Baird Government on a number of fronts.

The cycle-obsessed mayor said she would bring back the College St bike path, which was scrapped by Roads Minister Duncan Gay just last year.

She also vowed to step up her costly campaign against Mr Baird’s pet WestConnex motorway project, a fight that has already cost ratepayers $450,000. And then there’s her ­bizarre taste in art that will cost ratepayers $6 million for a cloud and a milk crate.

“I think our policies have been strongly endorsed, so yes, let’s put back the College St cycleway, let us finish the rest of the cycle network, let us get on with our public art,” she said.

“Let’s do all the progressive things city people clearly endorse, business and residents.”

The government supported legislation in 2014 forcing businesses to vote in Saturday’s election, a move that Ms Moore described yesterday as a “gerrymander” despite her victory.

Mr Baird said yesterday that business voting made the system “fairer for businesses, which are the largest contributor of rates in the area”.

“Voters have had their say and we congratulate Clover Moore on her win,” he added.

Labor and the Liberals look set to claim at least one seat each on the council.

HOW CLOVER WILL MAKE MIKE’S LIFE HELL

• Bring back the College St bike path, scrapped by the Baird government last year

• Campaign against the WestConnex motorway, which Ms Moore has already spent nearly $450,000 of ratepayers’ money fighting

• Fight the government’s pub and club lockouts

• Build more expensive and wacky public art using ratepayers’ money

• Campaign against business vote laws backed by the Premier

Cartoonist Warren Brown’s view (Best of Warren - he is on leave)

DOGS TO BLAME FOR VOTES WITH BITE

EXCLUSIVE Miles Godfrey

ANGRY Liberals have turned on embattled Premier Mike Baird after his greyhound ban helped Labor record a series of morale-boosting victories in Saturday’s council elections.

It came as Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce pinned blame for the results on the dogs debacle, saying: “Be careful of your core constituency — they bite.

“I think the greyhound decision has not been accepted in many areas, and it’s probably good the local government election is out of the way.”

There were big swings to Labor across the city’s south and west as the party increased its outright control of Blacktown Council and came within a pup’s whisker of working majorities in Liverpool, Penrith and Campbelltown.

Premier Mike Baird. will have to deal with Lord Mayor Clover Moore for another four years / Picture: Bob Barker

Labor’s Wendy Waller looks set to snatch the mayoral robes from the Liberals in Liverpool and the party easily retained control of Lake Macquarie and Cessnock, home to dog racing industry insiders.

The party also increased its presence on Penrith Council to at least seven of the 15 seats and will probably need the support of a single independent to clinch power.

Mr Baird described the results as “variable” and said there was a “predictable easing of support” for the Liberals after strong results in 2012.

Opposition Leader Luke Foley said the results sent a message that voters have “had enough” of Mr Baird’s “high-handed arrogant behaviour”.