The gloves are off for Ku-ring-gai Council candidates as the elections nears
The gloves are off for Ku-ring-gai Council candidates as the elections nears.
North Shore
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A war of words has broken out on the eve of the Ku-ring-gai council elections, with incumbent Mayor Jennifer Anderson questioning the credibility of local lobbyist Kathy Cowley.
On Wednesday afternoon, Cr Anderson called the Friends of Ku-ring-gai Environment founder and those promoting “genuine independent” councillors “complete hypocrites”.
The statement followed a letter drop by Ms Cowley in which she urged voters to “do their homework” before this Saturday’s election.
Ms Cowley said it was highly likely that Liberals who run as independents could put political gain and party politics ahead of community interests ultimately bringing about a merger.
“The Liberals are eager to load the north shore councils with Liberals who will then succumb to pressure to voluntarily merge in the next term,” the letter said.
In response to the letter, Cr Anderson, who is both a member and an employee of the Liberal Party but is running as an independent — said she was sure residents would not fall for the “fake news”.
“They have absolutely no credibility when they put out flyers promoting alleged genuine independents that are actually Labor’s David Armstrong, One Nation’s Peter Kelly and the Greens’ Anne Math and Cheryl Szatow who have teamed up with One Nation in a prefer deal.”
Cr Anderson has also been questioned over her recent change of address to which she explained for the record she was currently renting in Turramurra.
“My family home of 30 years was in Killara,” she said. “We sold at the end of last year and we only had about a 6-8 week settlement period so we took a lease on an apartment in Turramurra while we look to downsize. It’s a temporary arrangement.”
As for mergers, Cr Anderson said she was “absolutely committed” to Ku-ring-gai going forward as a stand-alone council.
Ms Cowley told the Times’ that the letter drop was about transparency.
“People are very, very confused and so its just a flyer to make sure people are careful who they vote for,” she said. “If you’re a Liberal, be Liberal — don’t try to stand as an independent.
“We’re very concerned, as are a number of areas that have been or maybe will go through amalgations later, because we’re getting mixed messages from the government.”
Mayoral Race Heats Up
The race for Ku-ring-gai’s mayoral chains is expected to heat up following this weekend’s elections.
Current Ku-ring-gai Mayor Jennifer Anderson and former mayor Cheryl Szatow have both indicated they were eyeing the top job.
Cr Anderson told the North Shore Times she was “certainly willing” to run for mayor if re-elected.
“Undertaking the role of mayor is a time consuming, and demanding one,” she said.
Cr Anderson would not speculate on who else may stand for the job this year because, she said, there were so many new candidates in the race. However she said she suspected fellow councillor Szatow would be interested “if she was not too tired” for the demanding role in her 70s.
Cr Szatow, who also expressed a desire to become the next mayor, described the barb as “ageist” and retorted that people did not believe she was “that old”.
“Frankly I don’t feel that old,” she said. “And I think with age comes wisdom and experience.”
Cr Anderson has spent a total of four terms as mayor, while Cr Szatow spent one term as mayor from 2015-2016.
Others who have served as mayor or deputy mayor in the past six years, including David Ossip, Elaine Malicki and Chantelle Fornari-Orsmond, have all decided not to run for council again this year.
THE CANDIDATES
Comenarra
Callum Clarke (Ind/Lib); Jayamala Gupte (Indp/Lib); Jeff Pettett (Ind); Catherine Ward (Ind)
Gordon
Cheryl Szatow (Ind); Jacqui Whymper-Williams (Ind); Greg Cook (Lib); Maria Cook (Ind); Peter Kelly (Ind/One); Anne Matheson (Ind/Gr); Rakesh Duncombe (Ind); Vanessa Hicks (Ind).
Roseville
Sam Ngai (Ind/Lib); Tanya Smith (Ind); Jennifer Anderson (Ind/Lib); John Hepburn (Ind); David Armstrong (Ind/ALP); Liesel Bertram (Ind); Chiming Shea (Ind); Owen Houston (Ind); Kym Bonnefin (Ind).
St Ives
David Citer (Ind/Lib); Tony Mitchell (Ind); Christine Kay (Ind); Donny Zhao (Ind); Martin Smith (Ind); Christiane Berlioz (Ind); Richard Winderbaum (Ind).
Wahroonga
Cedric Spencer (Ind/Lib); Tony Pang (Ind); Donna Greenfield (Ind); Nick Bakker (Ind); John Cronly (Ind); Geoff Turk (Ind).
LEGEND
(Ind) independent candidate. (Ind/Lib) Candidate a member of the Liberal Party but running as an independent. (Ind/ALP) Candidate a member of the Australian Labor Party but running as an independent. (Gr) Greens candidate.
WHERE TO VOTE
In Ku-ring-gai, the council is made up of 9 councillors and the mayor. The 9 councillors each represent one of the five wards that make up LGA.
Voting on Election Day is available at the following locations between 8am and 6pm:
Comenarra
Gordon West Public School
K.U Fox Valley Preschool
Ku-ring-gai Council Chambers
Pymble Public School
Sacred Heart Church Hall Pymble
Sydney Town Hall
Turramurra High School
Turramurra Public School
Turramurra Uniting Church Hall
Wahroonga Presbyterian Church Hall
Wahroonga Public School
Warrawee Public School
West Pymble Public School
Gordon
Beaumont Road Public School
Gordon East Public School
Gordon West Public School
Killara High School
Ku-ring-gai Council Chambers
Lindfield Public School
Lindfield Uniting Church
St Alban’s Anglican Church Lindfield
Sydney Town Hall
West Pymble Public School
Roseville
Beaumont Road Public School
Castle Cove Public School
Ku-ring-gai Council Chambers
Lindfield East Public School
Lindfield Uniting Church
Roseville Chase Community Hall
Roseville Public School
Roseville Uniting Church Hall
St Alban’s Anglican Church Lindfield
Sydney Town Hall
St Ives
Gordon East Public School
Ku-ring-gai Council Chambers
Pymble Public School
Sacred Heart Church Hall Pymble
Sydney Town Hall
St Ives Community Hall
St Ives High School
St Ives North Public School
St Ives North Scout Hall
St Ives Park Public School
Wahroonga
Ku-ring-gai Council Chambers
Pymble Public School
Sacred Heart Church Hall Pymble
Sydney Town Hall
Turramurra North Public School
Turramurra Uniting Church Hall
Wahroonga Presbyterian Church Hall
Wahroonga Public School
Waitara Public School
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