NSW election 2023: Inner West, Newtown, Summer Hill, Drummoyne, Balmain, Strathfield

Election candidates from across Sydney’s Inner West have named their top priorities for the upcoming state election. Meet the candidates and find out what they stand for.

Voters head to the poll on March 25​

Inner West voters have a packed field of candidates to choose from this state election.

A mix of familiar faces and first-time candidates have put their hands up for the upcoming poll that’s shaping up to be a race between aspiring Liberal MPs and challenges from Labor and Greens candidates.

Two of the tightest races are in Balmain and Drummoyne.

In Balmain, Greens MP Jamie Parker announced his retirement and the race is on with Labor desperate to regain this seat in what was once Labor’s heartland.

Drummoyne, which is classified as a safe Liberal seat, could also prove to go down to the wire.

Retiring MP John Sidoti, has represented the seat since 2011 but stopped serving as Liberal MP when ICAC made findings of corrupt conduct against him.

Canada Bay deputy mayor Stephanie Di Pasqua is the Liberal candidate running for Drummoyne and she will be in a tight race against fellow Canada Bay councillor and Labor candidate Julia Little.

Here we profile the Inner West candidates hoping to secure your vote on March 25. Candidates were asked to provide a short bio, why they’ve decided to run, and their top three priorities if elected.

Strathfield

Jason Yat-Sen Li (Labor)

Jason Yat-Sen Li.

My wife Lucy and I moved with our three kids to our new home in Strathfield last year. We love this community! The Strathfield electorate is like a microcosm of Sydney. We reflect the diversity of Australia in our people, our aspirations, our strengths, as well as our challenges.

My electorate is also a place which reflects my family and upbringing — an immigrant story of the sacrifices our parents made so we could have more opportunities in life than they did.

After a 25-year career in law, finance, and business, it was time for me to give back to the community that had given my family so much opportunity since my parents migrated here in 1960. I hope to bring this experience to the parliament and contribute to the critical task of rebuilding the public’s trust in politics and government. I have big dreams for our community, our state, and our country – that we can realise the full potential of our talented and diverse people.

My top three priorities if elected are:

1) Addressing the teacher shortage crisis and lifting education standards in our schools.

2) Stopping the reckless privatisation of our public assets.

3) Tangible action on climate change.

Maurie Saidi (Animal Justice Party)

Maurie Saidi

As a Cooks River resident for more than 35 years, I love the multiculturalism and vibrancy of the area. The incredible eateries, shops, and specialised stores all cater to different cultures. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else!

I am running for the election because I know that most agree that people should be treated with respect, dignity, compassion and kindness, but these laws are in effect to protect only humans. Animals deserve the same treatment, and despite our human connection with and reliance on animals, we do not provide adequate justice for them.

My top three priorities if elected are:

1) Protect renters’ rights to have pets and allow pets on public transport – these are real issues during this cost-of-living crisis.

2) Free desexing to counter the crisis of homeless cats and dogs, and more education about adopting pets over buying from breeders.

3) Veticare – like Medicare for animals. Being on a low income shouldn’t mean your companion animal suffers.

John-Paul Baladi (Liberal)

John-Paul Baladi

Born in Strathfield and raised alongside my five sisters, I am passionate about making this community the best place to live, work, and raise a family.

As a Strathfield local, I understand the challenges and opportunities facing residents and small businesses across his community, especially the cost of living crisis, the need for strong public services and amenities, and the importance of good economic management.

I have worked as an advisor to various local politicians and as a consultant to some of Australia’s largest businesses. I am focused on delivering positive outcomes for the Strathfield community and want to listen and consult local voices on all matters affecting them. As part of Dominic Perrottet’s Liberal Team, I will deliver our long-term economic plan to support local residents, families and businesses and to keep Strathfield and NSW moving forward.

My top three priorities if elected are:

1) Cost of living

2) Strong public services and amenities

3) Economy

Courtney Buckley (Greens)

Courtney Buckley is listed as the Greens candidate for the electorate. The Inner West Courier attempted to contact Ms Buckley but did not receive a response.

Drummoyne

Stephanie Di Pasqua (Liberal)

Stephanie Di Pasqua

I am a lifelong local, and was born and raised in Concord. I went to school at St Mary’s Concord and Domremy College Five Dock.

My grandparents migrated to Australia from Italy and settled locally in the area. I am proud of my background and feel very grateful for the opportunities available to me.

What I love most about the area is the people that make it a wonderful place to live and work and if elected on March 25, I will continue to be accessible to my community and be their voice in the NSW Parliament to fight and deliver for our community.

As a Councillor and Deputy Mayor, I have extensive experience serving our community. I have a track record of delivering, such as fighting for the Second Bay Run, better playgrounds and open space. I am a strong voice and I have a positive plan to continue delivering infrastructure for our community.

I am running because as a lifelong local, I understand the issues that matter most to us. I am the only candidate committed to delivering Stage 2 of the redevelopment Concord Hospital which is a $260 million commitment for a new emergency department, Intensive Care, cardiology unit and more beds. This is on top of $341 million for the recently completed Clinical Services Building which includes a new Comprehensive Cancer Centre, the National Centre for Veterans’ Healthcare and aged care and rehabilitation wards.

If elected, I will continue be a strong voice for our community in the NSW Parliament.

I will fight for Concord Hospital, for the upgrade of Concord High School and to deliver better transport services like the Sydney Metro West project connecting Parramatta to the CBD in 20 minutes (with 3 stops in our electorate at North Strathfield, Burwood North and Five Dock).

Julia Little (Labor)

Julia Little

I was born in North Strathfield and attended the local primary school. Now my husband and I are raising our children in the local area and they attend their local primary school. I continue to be a proud member of Briars Hockey and my children are keen soccer players for their local club. I am also a volunteer at the school with reading groups, the canteen and a very keen member of the local Bushcare group.

What I love about the area is the sense of community. While every area grows in size, maintaining and building relationships with our neighbours is so important. During Covid, surrounding areas were asking to borrow our volunteers to plug gaps that we did not seem to have helping the most vulnerable of our community. Our local community and sporting groups are very special in that way. Our extensive river foreshore and parks are also a key feature of our electorate. I love catching a ferry!

My experience on council has taught me the need for open and transparent decision-making to ensure integrity and fairness for everyone. I have heard many times from residents that they feel the interests of a select few are being served while the everyday issues and needs of the broader community are not being met. I believe it is time for a new state MP who will listen and act in the best interests of everyone.

My top three priorities if elected are:

1) Integrity and restoring trust.

2) Pay and conditions of key workers, especially our hardworking and underpaid teachers and nurses.

3) Addressing the failures of privatisation; from our bus and ferry services, to energy prices with a new state-owned energy company to investing back in TAFEs after many were closed or sold-off.

Charles Jago (Greens)

Charles Jago

I have lived in the Drummoyne electorate area for more than 30 years. It’s a great area for families, centrally located to large parts of metropolitan Sydney and boasts great parks with 35km of foreshore. It’s also the place where my children grew up and I have grown generational roots.

I started supporting the Greens more than 30 years ago because I was concerned about climate change. About 20 years ago I decided to join and get more involved because I saw the opportunity to make a real difference. Then in 2017, our previous Greens councillor with Canada Bay Council decided to retire and I stepped up to that role, being re-elected in 2021. I see my role as speaking out for the community on important issues that the major parties are not willing to raise.

My top three priorities if elected are:

1) Overdevelopment

2) Addressing government corruption

3) Education

Balmain

Kobi Shetty (Greens)

Kobi Shetty

I am a long-time local, living in Lilyfield with my husband, three kids and little dog, Zola. I love raising my family here. I have been working for this community for years, both as an elected Inner West councillor for the Baludarri (Balmain) Ward and prior to that as a local community advocate. I have led local school climate strikes, worked to increase transparency over council decisions, spearheaded the campaign for safer cycling infrastructure, and pushed for more public housing on public land.

The best thing about this area is how caring the community is. There is constantly great work happening to make sure everyone in our community is looked after.

I am running because Balmain needs an effective, independent representative in NSW parliament to hold the next government to account. With my background in fraud prevention, I have seen first-hand the impact of corruption on vulnerable people. That is why I am so proud to be standing for the Greens. I never have and never will take a corporate donation. This means, I will always stand up for our community, and will not be swayed by property developers, the gambling lobby and or coal and gas companies.

My top three priorities if elected are:

1) I will push the next government further and faster to tackle the climate crisis and protect nature.

2) I will also address the cost-of-living crisis by ensuring public services are affordable and well-run.

3) I will take on corruption and vested interests including ending gambling harm and money laundering with the introduction of a mandatory cashless gambling card.

Philippa Scott (Labor)

Philippa Scott

I’m a lifelong local, born in Camperdown and raised in Leichhardt, where I live with my husband and two children. I’m a proud product of our public schools and graduated from Fort St High School. I love our vibrant community‘s strong connection to our schools and sports clubs, our beautiful environment, and our passion for social justice and fairness.

I chose to run for parliament because I have spent my entire life working for social justice. I’ve worked as a refugee lawyer, representing asylum seekers in both onshore and offshore detention. Prior to that I worked in disability rights advocacy. I want to take these two passions — for community and social justice — and put them to work for our community in the NSW parliament.

My priorities are our community's priorities: public health and education, public transport, the environment and climate change.

Freya Leach (Liberal)

Freya Leach

I have a long and deep connection to the Balmain electorate. I have grown up here and lived in Rozelle since I was 12 years old. As a long-time member of Darling St Church, I have been an active member of our community for almost a decade! I love the Balmain electorate because of the richness of our community. Whether it‘s the range of small businesses along Darling St, the cultural flair of Leichhardt, or the diversity of Glebe, Balmain has it all! I’m also looking forward to seeing how Balmain will continue to thrive over the next four years as it benefits from incredible investment by the Perrottet government.

I decided to run this election because it is critical that we re-elect a Perrottet government in order to keep NSW moving forward. We have come so far as a state and we can’t afford to let it stall or go backwards under a Labor government. As a local, I want to fight for our community and I believe re-electing a Liberal government to keep the Balmain community progressing in the right direction.

My top three priorities if elected are: Investing in the infrastructure, health and education of our community by delivering and funding projects that matter.

Newtown

Jenny Leong (Greens)

Jenny Leong

I’m a long-time Newtown local, and love representing our vibrant, progressive, and diverse community. Whether it’s catching up with friends on our buzzing streets, watching my daughter play in our local parks, or watching our creative community thrive. I love that our Newtown community is a lively, respectful and inclusive place that everyone has a place to live, work, and play in.

I’m a passionate activist and campaigner, and proud feminist and equality advocate. I believe our progressive, Newtown community plays a critical role in shaping the agenda and driving the change that we need. It’s through collective action that change is won – something we see every day in our Newtown community. Whether it’s school kids striking for climate action, workers striking for better pay and condition, our rainbow community marching for equality, or feminists continuing the generations-long struggle for reproductive rights, or people taking to the streets for First Nations justice – I’m inspired by the change we make together.

This election we can kick the Liberals out, keep Newtown Green and put the Greens in the balance of power – so we can push the next government to take real action on tackling the climate crisis, getting rents under control, and stop the special treatment for corporate mates, as well as deliver on the demands of people who have been taking to the streets.

David Hetherington (Labor)

David Hetherington

I’ve lived in Erskineville for the last 16 years with my wife and two children, who both attend local public schools. I love this community for its activism and for the desire of people here to make the world a better place. I love that the whole electorate embraces and celebrates difference, that we watch out for our neighbours, and that we are actively involved in our community. In short, I love that we are proud to be called Inner Westies.

I’m running as the ALP’s candidate in Newtown to provide the electorate with a stronger, more effective voice in state government. Reflecting my passion for public education, as Public Education Foundation CEO I achieved a fourfold increase in scholarships to disadvantaged students and developed campaigns for fully funding public schools. Locally, as the vice president and then president of the Erskineville Public School’s P&C, I helped expand the popular Erko Berzerko school fair, a yearly celebration of our local area.

My top three priorities if elected are:

1) Housing and renters’ rights — I will advocate strongly for policies to help renters and reduce homelessness in our community.

2) End privatisation

3) Address climate change by developing a plan to reach net zero by 2050.

Fiona Douskou (Liberal)

Fiona Douskou

As the granddaughter of a migrant Greek family that settled in Newtown and ran their own local businesses, I grew up understanding the value of small business and its ability to connect community and create valuable local employment opportunities.

I am a member of the Australian Women in Security Network, NSW Cybersecurity ambassador and youth mentor, and am the Culture Chair of a Diversity and Inclusion Team delivering advocacy and support for women, LGBTQI+ and indigenous Australians.

I understand the challenges our community has endured, and the Perrottet Government has been working incredibly hard to provide support and take the pressure off businesses and families.

That is why I am running to be part of the Perrottet Liberal Team, to use my passion and experience to advocate for more local jobs, frontline services, community infrastructure and keep NSW moving forward.

My top three priorities if elected are:

1) Cost of living

2) More local jobs and frontline services

3) Community infrastructure

Christopher Thomas (Sustainable Australia)

Christopher Thomas is listed as the Sustainable Australia candidate for the electorate. The Inner West Courier attempted to contact Mr Thomas but did not receive a response.

Summer Hill

Jo Haylen (Labor)

Jo Haylen

The Inner West Courier attempted to contact Jo Haylen, the current Labor MP for Summer Hill and Shadow Minister for Transport, but did not receive a response.

According to her candidate’s website, Ms Haylen is raising her young family in the Inner West.

“Jo is a proud product of public education and continues to fight the government’s agenda of privatisation, outsourcing and the running down of our public services,” her website states.

“She is a passionate advocate for social justice in the NSW parliament and will continue to fight for the vulnerable and marginalised. She will fight for a fair and transparent planning system, for real action on climate and our environment, and for policies that make housing more affordable and renting more secure.”

Izabella Antoniou (Greens)

Izabella Antoniou

What I love about Summer Hill is the vibrancy, our creativity, and the way people come together to back one another through informal networks. As a youth worker and arts practitioner, I’ve been so lucky to live in a community that understands and uplifts art as a progressive political rallying point. From the performances in the square to people giving away free avocados in the local Facebook group – there is a desire to connect with one another which is so crucial to our wellbeing.

As a community worker I got fed up with the needs of frontline workers and vulnerable people being ignored while both the government and the opposition listened to their corporate mates and big business donors like the gambling lobby, big property developers and the fossil fuel industry. I wanted to fight for a vision of housing, climate and economic justice that sees us thrive in our communities, now and into the future. I’m thrilled that, if elected, I’ll be joining a team of Greens, hopefully holding the balance of power, with a proven track record of holding the major parties to account.

My top three priorities if elected are:

1) Re-opening the Marrickville ambulance depot.

2) Freezing, cutting and controlling rents with an independent body.

3) Ending coal and gas by 2030.

Sandra Haddad (Animal Justice Party)

Sandra Haddad

I have lived in the Inner West my whole life, moving to Marrickville five years ago. This area has a special place in my heart. The vibrancy from the community is something I feel daily when walking around. It’s a community of characters who all have a collective love of nature, art, coffee and animals.

I decided to run as a candidate in Summer Hill as I felt that our current politicians are failing to represent the electorate’s kind sentiments towards animals. This electorate is proudly shared with many pets and wildlife. The major parties have outdated and cruel animal policies that are not only failing our animals but also our residents.

My top three priorities if elected are:

1) End discrimination against pets in rental housing and public transport — this is an unnecessary strain on people struggling during this housing crisis.

2) Ban logging of native forests — save our koalas and birdlife from extinction.

3) Better controls over illegal fireworks — protect our urban wildlife and companion animals from unnecessary terror and injury.

Michael Swan (Sustainable Australia Party)

Michael Swan is listed as the Sustainable Australia candidate for the electorate. The Inner West Courier attempted to contact Mr Swan but did not receive a response.