North shore plot to defeat Trent Zimmerman, Paul Fletcher

Buoyed by Zali Steggall’s take-down of Tony Abbott, we can reveal community groups are preparing an assault on the Liberal strongholds of the north shore.

Members of Voices of North Sydney pictured at a meeting discussing election issues.

A grassroots independent movement is gaining traction on Sydney’s north shore as candidates begin to emerge to take on political heavyweights in the region’s blue ribbon electorates.

The owner Roseville Cinemas and newly formed community groups – including one called ‘Times Up Trent’ – are among independents announcing their intention to contest the upcoming federal election.

Many are spurred on by independent MP Zali Steggall’s upset win over Tony Abbott in Warringah at the last federal election, with one group saying they’re actively looking for “our own Zali” who can win over voters at the ballot box.

Roseville Cinemas owner Emma Addario wants to run as an independent.

On the upper north shore an independent group called Voices for Bradfield launched this month while Roseville Cinemas owner Emma Addario has thrown down the gauntlet by announcing her intention to run against communications and arts Minister Paul Fletcher.

Fletcher is MP for Bradfield – the coalition’s fourth safest seat in NSW.

She intends to run on a platform that includes supporting independent cinemas across Australia.

Separate independent groups including Voices of North Sydney and Times Up Trent have also been formed in North Sydney and are in the process of finding a candidate to challenge Trent Zimmerman who holds the seat on a 9.3 per cent margin.

Voices of North Sydney member Andrea Wilson said the group was founded last year and has grown through community events including “kitchen table conservations” involving residents meeting at each other’s homes to discuss election issues.

A photo showing one of the kitchen table conversations hosted by Voices of North Sydney.

The group is similar to other community-run independent organisations including Voices of Wentworth and Voices for Indi which played key roles in campaigns for Kerryn Phelps and Helen Haines in previous elections.

“We started with two of us last year and now there are hundreds who have participated in our conservations. People come to us with their concerns and the top issues so far are climate change and integrity – people want truth, transparency and accountability,” Ms Wilson said.

“We’re currently looking for a candidate who’ll be a committed local champion and will stand up and vote according to the values of residents, not blindly voting as a bloc in line with a party. It’s highly likely the candidate will be a woman.

“We want our own Zali.”

Ms Addario is planning to run against Bradfield MP and Arts Minister Paul Fletcher.

In Bradfield, Ms Addario has launched a Save Australian Cinemas group as part of her campaign with calls for ongoing support for independent cinemas and the 12,000 jobs the cinemas support across Australia.

In Warringah, five Liberal candidates have emerged as frontrunners to take on Zali Steggall at the next election including barrister Jane Buncle, PwC consultant Alex Dore, Tim James – who ran against Felicity Wilson for preselection in North Shore at the 2019 state election, former Scott Morrison Adviser Sasha Grebe and NSW Upper House MP Natalie Ward.

The party has yet to finalise the preselection process and is currently focused on fielding candidates for the September local government election.

Sasha Grebe.

Mr Grebe, a Seaforth resident who helped set up a renewable energy firm in Asia, said the community was looking for solutions on issues including clean energy.

“I’ve been a long-term supporter of renewable energy and I’m currently working on a number of new technology projects to assist in the upgrading of our energy infrastructure, especially in lithium-ion batteries and transmission lines to connect wind and solar generation to the grid,” he said.

“This doesn’t have to be an ideological argument – there are market led solutions that will deliver lasting economic and environmental solutions.”

North Sydney MP Trent Zimmerman, pictured at Forsyth Park at Neutral Bay.

North Sydney Voices said there was a precedent for independents representing North Sydney – pointing to Ted Mac who held seat from 1990 to 1996.

“Even though North Sydney is a well to do area people are still interested in things like housing affordability, especially for their children and we’ve found a real hunger for change,” Ms Wilson said.

“People want to be listened to and everybody we’ve spoken with feels that writing letters, putting in submissions – even holding protests – has no effect.”

The date for the next Federal Election has yet to be set but must be held by May 2022.