Randwick Council elects Philipa Veitch, Sydney’s only Greens mayor with Labor’s Alexandra Luxford as deputy

An eastern suburbs council has elected Sydney’s only Greens mayor and the state’s second after its mayoral election on Tuesday night.

Outgoing Randwick Mayor Dylan Parker.

A Sydney council has elected the city’s only Greens mayor and the state’s second after its mayoral election tonight.

Philipa Veitch has been voted as Randwick Council’s newest mayor, making her the third Greens councillor to take the top job. It is understood the move was part of a deal with the Labor Party and her term will run until September next year.

It is the first time the Greens have held the position since former mayor Lindsay Shurey left the role one year into her term in 2018 to run as Greens candidate in the 2019 state election.

Former councillor Murray Matson was the only other Greens mayor in Randwick Council history.

Speaking to this publication, Ms Veitch said she hoped to speak with the former mayors as “I’m sure they’ll have some good advice to share”.

Incoming Randwick Council mayor Philipa Veitch and deputy mayor Alexandra Luxford. Photo: Randwick Council

In answering the importance of having green representation at a mayoral level, Ms Veitch said the party has been representing its communities “and working hard to achieve progress” on big social and environmental issues “for a very long time”.

“We have very strong representation in local government and I hope even more can be achieved for our communities when Greens councillors are elected as mayor,” she continued.

“Our community cares about the environment and are concerned about the impacts of climate change … there are many other issues including First Nations justice, public housing, renter’s rights, education, LGBTQI advocacy and disability inclusion where we’ve been out on the front foot pressing for change.”

Ms Veitch said the Greens have been the only party which has shown “real leadership” on these issues and expects its influence to continue growing.

“I’m committed to working constructively with my fellow councillors to try and achieve consensus and support on the issues that matter to our community,” Ms Veitch said.

Liberal Randwick councillor Christie Hamilton contested the mayoral position on Tuesday night. (AAP IMAGE/ Danny Aarons)

The mayoral position was contested by Randwick Liberal councillor Christie Hamilton who lost with only six votes.

While offering her congratulations, Ms Hamilton told Ms Veitch it was “Labor [who] have put you in this chair”, before saying she believed Randwick was “the most left council” in NSW.

She asked Ms Veitch to “take it easy” on Randwick residents and to “allow all views to be heard”.

In an extract from an unfinished book, former mayor and councillor Noel D’Souza said the Greens were the “most mischievous but well intentioned group in council”.

“The Green Councillors in the chamber are like inert chemical elements on the periodic table, impotent separately but when they are mixed together in a crucible, they can have a cataclysmic effect sometimes constructive and sometimes obstructive,” he continued.

Randwick councillors after the 2023 Mayoral election.

Outgoing and teary-eyed mayor Dylan Parker thanked his fellow councillors and staff during his two-years, saying they had made “quite an impact” before stepping down from the position.

He told the packed town hall that he was blessed to represent such a special community and it was a “privilege of a lifetime”.

Some time later, Mr Parker congratulated incoming mayor Ms Veitch and reflected on two words to describe her, saying she was passionate and persistent which “when you put those two together … [it is] quite the dynamic duo when added” to the mayoral position.

Departing deputy mayor Rafaela Pandolfini joined the congratulations, saying Randwick council was in “wonderful hands” as Labor’s Alexandra Luxford returned to the position, making an all-female mayoral leadership at the council.

How outgoing mayor led Randwick out of pandemic pain

Being the face of a community bouncing out of a global pandemic has its challenges but can inspire a range of emotions and special moments.

As Randwick councillor Dylan Parker’s tenure as mayor comes to a close, he has pinpointed some of his most proudest achievements which includes boosting the number of lifeguards along some of Sydney’s most dangerous coastlines.

When elected as the state’s youngest mayor in September 2021 – not long after 107 days of lockdown – Mr Parker was adamant about rejuvenating the Randwick area.

The proud Maroubra resident – who is aged in his early 30s – told this publication “bouncing back out of Covid with big community events” and regular activations was high on the list of highlights.

This included food truck programs, closing streets for events by “transforming them into pedestrian plazas for outdoor dining” which has led to the permanent construction of the McKeon Street Plaza in Maroubra following a six-month trial.

Randwick Mayor Dylan Parker volunteering with Maroubra Surf Life Saving Club. Picture: Facebook

In council papers for Tuesday’s extraordinary meeting – where a new mayor will be elected – Mr Parker said post-pandemic “it was a time when we needed to offer practical support” to recovering businesses and encourage people to spend more time in town centres.

Despite the good times of being mayor Mr Parker – who is a volunteer lifesaver at Maroubra – said it was particularly difficult managing a coastal council which had challenges throughout his two years.

A shark attack between Little Bay Beach and Malabar Beach in February 2022 was one of many incidents which rocked the Randwick area, with the tragic incident compounded by multiple drownings along the Randwick coastline.

The area’s coast is one of the most dangerous in NSW, with 34 deaths in the 10 years to 2021. Since then, there has been five further deaths recorded including a man in his 30s who was swept into the ocean by a surging wave when walking along rocks in Little Bay in April.

“Dealing with … the range of emotions, in getting people back safely into the water was definitely an unexpected turn for me personally, but a challenge, which I think we collectively dealt with very well,” he said.

Mr Parker said that in such difficult times, he was able to expand lifeguard services across the southern beaches during the summer months, including Malabar and Little Bay.

Despite keeping quiet on his future political aspirations, Mr Parker said he had “a lot more to give” to the Randwick community and was passionate about “continuing that work in any capacity for many years to come”.

Having worked under Maroubra MP Michael Daley, and entering politics at such a young age, the outgoing mayor wants to continue being a familiar face people recognise.

“If you see me around, make sure to say hello. It’s my goal to make it as if I’m as out and about and everywhere as people have become accustomed to,” he said. “I don’t expect anyone to see any change there.”