Northern beaches top 20 most influential people from number 10 to 6
A WORLD famous model and arguably Sydney’s top real estate agent are among the identities ranked from 10 to 6 in the northern beaches’ top 20 most influential people list. Check them out and let us know if you agree.
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- 15-11: Top 20 most influential people on the northern beaches
- 20-16: Top 20 most influential people on the northern beaches
THEY are experts in their fields, whether that be sport, business, fashion, politics or the law. They are the people whose opinions and actions we value and watch with sometimes envy, sometimes disdain and disagreement.
The Manly Daily staff debated over who should be on the list and where they should rank.
We considered their positions as role models and/or decision makers, starting from position 20 through to position 1. Today we list those from 10 to 6.
All 20 will be listed on our website, manlydaily.com.au, over coming days with your opportunity to agree, disagree or suggest others who should be on the list of the most influential people on the peninsula.
#10 Tracey Spicer: Journalist/TV Personality
AS the Australian face leading the fight in the #MeToo movement, Tracey Spicer has secured position 10 in the Manly Daily 20 most influential list.
The former newsreader turned best-selling author, who was a recipient of an Order of Australia in 2018 for her journalistic and charitable services, was listed for her efforts in campaigning to change media misogyny and gender imbalance in workplaces.
Ms Spicer’s collections of stories of sexism and abuse from “more than 1000 women” after issuing a Twitter plea for Australian women to speak up triggered a national debate on protecting women in the workplace.
“The highlights of my career have been the documentaries I’ve produced and presented for not-for-profit organisations in the developing world,” the Curl Curl resident said.
“It’s been such a privilege working with women’s rights organisations in India, Kenya and Bangladesh, especially through ActionAid and World Vision.”
In her 30-year career, Ms Spicer has reported and presented for programs including ABC TV, Network Ten, Channel 9 and Sky News. She has also written for Traveller Magazine’s Sunday edition, was a columnist with Wendy Harmer’s The Hoopla and travel writer and ambassador for Holiday with Kids Magazine.
Ms Spicer, a mother-of-two and author of The Good Girl Stripped Bare, is also the co-founder and national convener of Women in Media, a nationwide mentoring and networking group, backed by the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance.
She is an ambassador for Dying with Dignity, ActionAid, World Vision, Purple Our World, the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, the Full Stop Foundation, Cancer Council NSW and SISTER2sister. She is also involved with the Learning Potential Fund at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), where she completed a bachelor of business communications with a major in journalism in 1987.
#9 Christine Hopton: Surf Life Saving Australia director
Christine Hopton comes in at number nine on our list for her influence in inspiring women, in particular, to pursue leadership roles in one of Australia most iconic movements — surf lifesaving.
There was a time when the mere thought of entrusting women in surf lifesaving leadership roles was considered unthinkable by many — but not now.
Mrs Hopton, a former 2014 Pittwater Woman of the year, is one of those women who has helped influence change.
She has impacted the movement enormously on the northern beaches and since 2013 she has been a Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) independent director — making up one of three women on the SLSA’s 13-person board.
Mrs Hopton, who has held breakfast events on the northern beaches to encourage women to take on more leadership roles, has previously spoken to the Manly Daily about why the issue is important.
“I think it’s a great challenge for surf to try to look at this continually,” Mrs Hopton said.
“I believe women are very capable and quite often they can do things better than men.
“I think women have very strong multi-tasking skills and are very empathetic with people.”
Mrs Hopton was also the first woman to become president of Avalon Beach Surf Life Saving Club — where she served in the club’s top position for almost 10 years — and has previously held the role of Surf Life Saving Sydney Northern Beaches’ deputy president.
She was also awarded an Order of Australia medal last year for her service to surf lifesaving.
#8 John Cunningham: Real Estate agent
Few northern beaches real estate agents could lay claim to more than four decades working constantly in the local property industry. But John Cunningham, Managing Director of Cunninghams Property, hasn’t limited himself to just selling real estate and building one of the largest independent agencies on the northern beaches.
He has been an active member of the Real Estate Institute of NSW (REINSW), serving on the Board of Directors for the past 10 years, and in November 2017, completed a two-year term as president of the industry body. Mr Cunningham has been on a mission to lift training standards, Australia-wide for real estate agents and build more respect for the industry as a whole, and regards this as one of his greatest achievements during his presidency, as he told the Manly Daily last year: “One of the biggest highs since I became president has been the overwhelming support of members towards the real estate reform package and the move to raise our standards of education, ethics and performance.”
Mr Cunningham has also been scathing of the existing stamp duty system in NSW, saying bracket creep and stamp duty were inhibitors on people buying property and the tax should be shared more evenly within the community. He has repeatedly called on the State Government to introduce a flatter tax system, which would see stamp duty replaced by a higher GST for all, similar to the New Zealand tax system.
He might have given up the presidency, but he is ploughing on with his plan to improve industry standards, in his current role as Chairman of The Professionalism Committee of the Real Estate Institute of Australia.
Mr Cunningham began his northern beaches real estate career in 1977, and went on to establish Cunninghams Property in 1991 with his wife, Ann. His team has become one of the most highly awarded by the REINSW now comprises more than 80 staff members working across three locations in Manly, Balgowlah and Dee Why.
#7 Jennifer Hawkins: Former Miss Universe
FOURTEEN years on from being crowned Miss Universe, Jennifer Hawkins is still a prominent figure nationwide.
Due to the model, television presenter and former beauty queen’s ongoing charitable work and continuous position in the spotlight, the 34-year-old has taken out the seventh spot on our list.
Ms Hawkins, who moved into a sprawling $6 million Newport home in 2017 with her husband, Jake Wall, is most known for her current position hosting Australia’s Next Top Model, being the face of Australian department store Myer and participation in ads for Lovable Intimates, Covergirl, Audi, Louis Vuitton, Mount Franklin Lightly Sparkling and Range Rover.
Ms Hawkins — born in Holmesville, a suburb in Newcastle — is also the founder and CEO of Cozi by Jennifer Hawkins swimwear and self-tanning line Jbronze.
Ms Hawkins has worked closely with The Butterfly Foundation and participated in the Red Dress campaign, in a bid to raise awareness of heart disease.
She has also donated her time and auction items to the Sydney Cancer Foundation, The Sydney Children’s Hospital, Canteen and Make-A-Wish Foundation, and had been a patron foe the Hunter Children’s Research Foundation.
My Hawkins was first seen on screen for Channel Seven’s The Great Outdoors, where she was nominated as Most Popular Female Talent at the 2006 Logie Awards. She has also presented for Getaway and Make Me A Supermodel.
Ms Hawkins has graced the covers of Australian fashion magazines including Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Cleo, Maxim, Shape and Good Health.
#6 Brad Hazzard: NSW Health Minister and Wakehurst MP
THE Wakehurst MP has arguably the busiest portfolio in the NSW Government.
As Health Minister, Brad Hazzard is responsible for the state’s $25 billion budget to keep on top of the hospital network.
But most importantly he is instrumental in the rollout of the near billion-dollar Northern Beaches Hospital, which is among the most significant investments in the peninsula’s future.
The state-of-the-art hospital, due to open in October, will have 14 operating theatres, 488 beds, mental health services and maternity wards — and Mr Hazzard is responsible for its delivery.
The peninsula’s longest-serving politician — State or Federal — has been a member of State Parliament since 1991, making him a stalwart of the government and one of its most senior, influential members.
And he uses it to his advantage, campaigning for a better deal for locals.
Whether it be ensuring residents at Collaroy beachfront got a long-overdue meeting with Lands Minister Paul Toole after waiting two years for a seawall, or pushing for changes to planning policy that allow boarding houses.
Mr Hazzard is the most connected politician on our list, giving him his status in the upper echelon.
He appears to have the ear of Premier Gladys Berejiklian and other senior ministers and his brand appears to have been on the rise since the exit of former premier Mike Baird.
He has the clout to speak out of turn when others may not, and would be even higher on the list if he had managed to get the long-touted upgrade for Brookvale Oval over the line.
Another on his to-do list — despite a slapdown of road workers on Warringah Rd — needs to be better traffic solutions around the new hospital, which are still crippling commuters.
Tomorrow morning the most influential person ranked 5 on our list will be revealed at manlydaily.com.au.
DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE? LET US KNOW IN THE COMMENTS SECTION BELOW.