Carolyn Martin: Daughter of Randwick council’s first female mayor to run in local government election

After her mother served Randwick as its’ first lady mayor, Carolyn Martin hopes to follow her lead and win a seat at the upcoming council elections.

Carolyn Martin aims to represent her community just as her mother Margaret did. Picture: Tileah Dobson

After walking down many different career paths throughout her life, Carolyn Martin’s new one is a path her mother had previously forged.

Margaret Martin was the first female mayor on the Randwick City Council, having been elected once in 1992, and a second time in 1996.

She had joined the 167-year-old council in 1983 and served for 17 years.

Now her daughter is following in her footsteps, announcing she will run for council on the Liberal Party ticket.

“I’m thrilled to be running,” Ms Martin told this publication.

Carolyn Martin with a picture of her mother, Margaret Martin when she was the lady mayor of Randwick nearly three decades ago. Picture: Tileah Dobson

“Mum is delighted that I’m doing this and the community has been great. I’ve lived here all of my life. And now it’s my turn to give back.”

Before she set her sights on politics, Ms Martin had been a part of the NSW Police Force and served for 22 years.

“When I left school, I was a police officer in 1983. At the time they were desperate for female officers as there weren’t that many women in the force,” she said.

“And within the police force, I did lots of stuff which was great. Most of my career was focused in the domestic violence, on the original DV policy stuff. Victim support, young offenders and later police media.

Carolyn Martin aims to represent her community just as her mother, Margaret did. Picture: Tileah Dobson

“I was even the close protection officer for the Queen of Spain for the Sydney Olympics.”

However, Ms Martin later traded in her badge for primary school classrooms.

“After the police force, I went into casual teaching. I taught at a lot of the local schools here,” she said.

“I got really attached to the schools. I’m a mad sportswoman as well, so I loved doing the sports.”

Carolyn will be running on the Liberal Party ticket alongside current councillors at the upcoming local council elections. Picture: Carolyn Martin/Supplied

While local government is on the female side of the family, Ms Martin hasn’t ruled out the possibility of her sons following in her footsteps.

“I can’t see that happening but then my mother probably said that about me,” she said.

“They’re watched their grandmother obviously. They were only very young but they were old enough to know what was happening. And they’ve been really supportive, along with my husband.”

Carolyn with her extended family, including her mum Margaret (front), husband and two sons. Picture: Carolyn Martin/Supplied

Margaret echoed similar sentiments when asked, cheekily saying she had expected her daughter to have “run sooner”.

“Sometimes children who have parents in political careers are expected to follow after them. And you get some children who often don’t want that,” Margaret said.

“I thought she would be interested (in council) sooner but at the time she wasn’t. Now here she is and I think she’ll do an excellent job.”