NSW Election: Mayor Michael Regan pleads for voters to put Wakehurst in “safe hands”

Northern Beaches Mayor Michael Regan says he’s not a “teal”, but an independent with “safe hands” who should become the new MP for Wakehurst. See what he said at his campaign launch.

Northern Beaches mayor Michael Regan, running as an independent candidate in the seat of Wakehurst at the March 25 state election, received support from the independent MPs for Mackellar, Sophie Scamps (left) and Warringah Zali Steggall (right), along with former world surfing champion and activist Layne Beachley at his campaign launch at Manly Warringah Football Club at Cromer on Thursday night. Picture: Supplied

The successful federal ‘teal’ independent MPs, who blitzed sitting Liberal members to get into parliament, have thrown their support behind Northern Beaches’ mayor Michael Regan’s bid to win a seat at the March state election.

Popular Warringah MP Zali Steggall, and Sophie Scamps, the member for Mackellar, were at Thursday night’s official launch of Mr Regan’s campaign to run as an independent in Wakehurst.

While Mr Regan said that he wasn’t a ‘teal’, he praised the two federal MPs for their work in parliament and told the gathering of about 200 supporters that him winning the safe Liberal seat as an independent was a huge “opportunity for change”.

About 230 booked tickets to attend the campaign launch of Northern Beaches mayor Michael Regan who is running as an independent candidate in the northern beaches seat of Wakehurst at the March 25 state election. Picture: Jim O'Rourke

“You guys are changing the world,” he told Dr Scamps and Ms Steggall at the Manly Warringah Football Club in Cromer.

“I’ve seen, already, what the independents can do at a federal level, and that’s what we can do at a state level.

“We’ve done it at a council level.”

Mr Regan told supporters that because there was not an MP who was advocating for the community in state parliament, on issues such as bus privatisation and more affordable housing, the community had been asking questions.

He said a big part of his decision to run was his frustration at what he saw was “not happening” at a state government level.

Northern Beaches mayor Michael Regan with some of his "Reganeer" campaign volunteers at his NSW election campaign launch at Manly Warringah Football Club at Cromer on Thursday. Picture: Jim O'Rourke

The “straw that broke the camel’s back”, Mr Regan said, was Planning Minister Anthony Robert’s decision, just before Christmas, to push ahead with the next stage in the development at Lizard Rock — the proposal for a 450-home subdivision on land at Belrose owned by the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council.

“I can’t sit there and throw stones from outside the tent. I have to get inside the tent and find a solution,” Mr Regan said.

“I want to do things differently and I want the community to be part of that journey.”

Mr Regan, who currently heads the Your Northern Beaches Independents team on the council, will need a massive swing against Liberal candidate Toby Williams if he is to claim Wakehurst and a seat on the parliament’s crossbench.

Northern Beaches mayor Michael Regan said he did not want to be “outside the tent” throwing stones at the NSW Government. Picture: Jim O'Rourke

He acknowledged that he would also have to battle against the goodwill and local support that retiring Liberal MP, and Health Minister, Brad Hazzard has built up over the 31 years he’s held the seat.

Mr Regan, has been campagning for the March 25 poll on the theme that he has “safe hands, smart solutions,” after serving 14 years as mayor of Warringah and Northern Beaches councils.

“I know I’ve got the track record. You’ve seen what we’ve done on council.”

Toby Williams, The Liberal candidate for the current government’s safe seat of Wakehurst. Picture: Supplied

If elected, his first priorities would be to lobby for lower energy bills to assist with cost of living pressures and fix traffic congestion hot spots including the intersection of Pittwater and Warringah roads at Dee Why.

Mr Regan has previously said that if a major party needed his support to form government, he would support whichever party commits to stopping “overdevelopment at Lizard Rock”.

He would also push for agreement on a review of bus privatisation and the introduction of interest free loans to install solar panels.

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Six campaign issues Michael Regan will focus on:

■ Fixing the Bottlenecks – addressing significant local traffic congestion and public transport problems;

■ Housing Affordability – provide better housing options from “downsizers” to first home buyers to housing for essential workers;

■ Lower Energy Bills – make rooftop solar power more affordable by offering $15,000 interest-free loans without a cap or postcode qualification;

■ Climate Protection – Proper planning to protect homes and the community from inundation, flooding and bushfires;

■ Vibrant Communities – Ensure the planning for the proposed new Frenchs Forest and Brookvale town centres deliver “vibrant urban centres with appropriate infrastructure and fantastic public facilities”;

■ Health and Education – Fund and support vital healthcare, NDIS, aged care and public education workers and support mental health services.