2024 council elections: Lead candidates for Woollahra Council profiled
Candidates for Woollahra Council have been named ahead of the upcoming local government election. See the list of hopefuls and the issues set to determine the election.
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With less than a month before the 2024 local government elections on September 14, residents are gearing up to head to polling booths across the state.
There are 15 spots up for grabs on Woollahra Council and a number of candidates, new and returning, are throwing their hats into the ring.
The council is separated into five wards: Bellevue Hill, Cooper, Double Bay, Paddington and Vaucluse.
We have reached out to each candidate to understand who they are, what they stand for and why they are running for election.
Bellevue Hill Ward
Lucinda Regan – Residents First
About myself
I am an active community advocate for resident issues with a background in economics and law. I have lived in the local government area for many years and have been a councillor since 2017. I have put forward strategic amendments to development controls to protect the amenity of our neighbourhood and have successfully campaigned to preserve heritage and community space and to clean up our beaches and waterways. I also helped initiate council support for short-term accommodation for families escaping domestic violence.
What have you identified as a major issue in your ward, and how would you address it if elected?
Excessive excavation and vibration from construction activities is a major issue. I have advocated for an extensive report on the area to inform better development controls. This report has now issued and will inform future measures to protect neighbouring properties, which I will pursue. Protection of streetscape, amenity and the character of our neighbourhoods is another issue that needs to be constantly addressed, as is boat and truck / trailer parking, which necessitates new thinking to tackle the issue and lobbying of state government.
What have you identified as a major issue in the Woollahra LGA, and how would you address it if elected?
A primary concern is overdevelopment leading to traffic and congestion. We are a small, constrained density populated area. The major issue facing our local government area is the proposed low- and mid-rise housing code that the state government will mandatorily introduce. This code will override all current development controls and take strategic planning of development out of the community’s hands. Development without provision of supporting infrastructure will impact on amenity. This will involve advocacy work to the state government and strategic responses by council so that development occurs in a manner that can be properly accommodated. The state government argues these codes will deliver affordable housing; however, we are losing affordable housing as older more affordable units are replaced with expensive luxury units. I have asked that net loss of dwellings and social impacts be considered in development to address this particular concern. We also struggle with space for community use and the contestability among different user groups of our open space is becoming an issue, which will involve looking at better ways to use current assets.
Do you support high density housing in your area?
In our local government area, 77.8 per cent of the dwellings are medium- or high-density, compared to 46 per cent in Greater Sydney. Our local government area has overdelivered on its housing targets for several years. We need to find a balance between housing growth and maintenance of the character and amenity of our suburbs. So, while further density may be accommodated in well placed locations with tight controls, local council is best placed to determine where additional housing can be accommodated having regard to current supporting infrastructure, not the state government. Supply does not necessarily equal affordability in our local government area, and we are currently losing affordable homes. This needs to be understood as it is not a one-size-fits-all approach.
Sean Carmichael – Liberal
About myself
I am a lifelong resident, second term councillor and planning committee chair. I bring expertise in economics and public policy. Living with my long-term partner in a rental apartment, I understand the cost-of-living challenges faced by many. I stand against Labor’s one-size-fits-all housing strategy: arguing planning must respect how communities wish to live, while managing the important duty to house our children. While protecting heritage like Cadry’s, I envision focusing growth around a refreshed Edgecliff Station, thereby easing pressure on our roads and leafier suburbs. I helped revitalise Plumer Rd shops, and saved Paddington’s Indian Home Diner from overregulation and closure. I also led the Woollahra case against the Oxford Street Cycleway: to help local businesses, and prevent worsening regional congestion. I secured council funding to support Lifeline Bondi Junction’s opening. Sean will continue advocating for locals, and the unique qualities that make the Eastern Suburbs so special.
What have you identified as a major issue in your ward, and how would you address it if elected?
Traffic and road congestion are key issues for the Bellevue Hill community. Regardless of how you commute, it is near impossible to leave or come into Bellevue Hill during certain hours. The bottom of Bellevue Rd is a classic example of shocking congestion.
School pick-up and drop-off are also particularly bad. While some schools are working hard to keep traffic flow moving efficiently, others are at increasing risk of expensive future DA conditions of consent if schools themselves will not resolve this problem.
What have you identified as a major issue in the Woollahra LGA, and how would you address it if elected?
Some council’s policy settings are not very helpful for easing congestion. For example, turning arterial roads like Oxford St into cycleways, and some seeking 30 km/h speed limit rollouts, all require a set of underlying principles to succeed: high population density, high pedestrianisation, and high frequency public transport. For much of our area, those assumptions simply do not hold true.
Our demographics feature a high percentage of older residents and families with young children. Our hilly topography makes pedestrianisation quite difficult in walking to shops and schools. And our community’s leafy character means no prospect of high-frequency transport.
This means the car is here to stay for a while yet. It is why sufficient parking, electric vehicle charge point rollout, and maximising road efficiency still matters.
Do you support high density housing in your area?
Overdevelopment is a real concern for our area, and there is neither an appetite to change the area’s leafy character, nor much capacity.
That said, Australia is struggling to house our nation’s children. Collectively, this is a real point of failure of our nation, as keeping a roof over one’s head is such a basic human need. Scaling migration down to normal levels is not the only problem to address. More homes are still needed.
Originally, Edgecliff station and its vicinity was meant to service higher density than is currently there. Provided we protect local heritage and keep the city moving, a tired centre can be revitalised, and we can help ease the nation’s housing shortage.
Cooper Ward
Nicola Grieve – Greens
About myself
Council is responsible for so much of what happens in our daily lives, and it should reflect who we are as a community. This means protecting heritage, managing parks, playgrounds and community spaces, ensuring footpaths are improved and accessible, slowing traffic on local roads to make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists. It also means listening to community concerns and working together to find a solution. There’s more to do. We need to plant more trees by implementing the Urban Forest Strategy. We need to stop developers and corporate interests writing the rules. I have spent the last three years working for Cooper and the broader community, delivering increased funding for trees, parks and footpaths, instigation of ward meetings to increase residents’ access to council and councillors and free public binoculars on the coastal whale walk. As your Greens councillor I’m proud to defend our local democracy whatever it takes and fight whatever the NSW planning systems throws our way next, and always make action on climate change a top priority for Woollahra Council.
What have you identified as a major issue in your ward, and how would you address it if elected?
Pedestrian safety and walkability within the Cooper Ward is a key issue. The state of our footpaths poses risks to residents particularly our many elderly residents, parents with prams and small children, dog-walkers and the list goes on.
In 2023, I secured additional funding for maintenance and upgrade of footpaths across the Cooper ward. Work has commenced but if re-elected I want to see this to fruition and develop a plan for future works so they happen before dangerous footpath conditions reappear.
In July, the council adopted my motion to reduce the maximum speed on Cooper’s streets to 40km/h. If re-elected I will champion the staff report and make this change happen because it will literally save lives.
As a human-scale village, our area is best experienced on foot. I will always prioritise making our area as safe as possible for pedestrians.
What have you identified as a major issue in the Woollahra LGA, and how would you address it if elected?
The biggest issue voters are talking to me about is the referendum to reduce councillors from 15 to nine and wards from five to three. Nobody saw this coming because it’s straight out of the Liberal Party’s small government playbook. All our resident groups were shocked and now totally oppose this change.
The mooted savings are minuscule. At a cost of more than $1m to implement, the reduction in councillors and wards will save only $200,000 per annum out of council’s $130m operating budget.
The advantages of 15 councillors cannot be quantified and not should never be underestimated. Our local democracy depends on this representation.
I believe in the value of local representation and understand that diversity is a crucial component of democracy. More Greens on council will ensure our local democracy thrives into the future and serves the diverse needs of our community.
Do you support high-density housing in your area?
I support appropriate development and endorsed the Edgecliff Commercial Centre strategy to allow future density along Woollahra’s only transport hub. Only strategic and co-ordinated planning will deliver more affordable housing and stop the current trend of loss of smaller, more affordable apartments.
We are in a housing crisis. Developers are writing the rules and making gains from zoning uplift. We need to return community needs to the centre of planning. Developer contributions for affordable housing must be mandatory and in perpetuity.
I am totally opposed to the Minns government’s blanket housing reforms which pose real risks to Cooper’s heritage and neighbourhood character by encouraging a rush of overdevelopment. We need a government that will fix the planning system and empower councils to act in the interests of residents.
Sarah Jane Swan – Liberal
About myself
As your local councillor for the last three years, and deputy mayor of Woollahra since September 2023, I have been a strong and energetic voice for everyone in Cooper Ward. My approach is to be available, active, and consultative.
I have lived in the area most of my life and I am passionate about preserving its unique heritage and leafy character. During university, I worked in a local Queen Street business and believe that a vibrant village depends on local business.
This term, with important input from the community, we have improved Harbourview Park, Moncur Reserve, Lyne Park, Dillon Street Reserve and the stairs in Cooper Park.
I achieved an additional $290,000 to improve the Queen Street and Moncur Street footpaths. And, after receiving concerns from residents and businesses, I took urgent action to improve safety at the two pedestrian crossings on Queen St.
As a family lawyer, I am proud of the support Woollahra Council is giving to support victims of family violence arising from my motions for funding, services, education and a collaboration to donate preloved furniture which would otherwise end up in landfill.
What have you identified as a major issue in your ward, and how would you address it if elected?
Following extensive community consultation, including doorknocking in April 2023, I am advocating against the Oxford St East Cycleway, which if implemented, would reduce a major road from four lanes to two, disrupt hundreds of local businesses, reduce the number of bus stops along Oxford St, restrict access to residents’ homes and pose a risk to our heritage areas by creating a “rat run”. If re-elected, I would work to cause Transport for NSW and the City of Sydney to instead refine and improve the Moore Park Road cycleway to help alleviate congestion with minimal impact to local businesses.
What have you identified as a major issue in the Woollahra LGA, and how would you address it if elected?
Cost of living, conducting business in Woollahra (particularly for small, local businesses), and removing burdensome regulations are significant issues for our LGA.
Supporting and promoting local businesses is one of my main priorities. With this in mind, I have initiated a project which will see Woollahra come alive in its postcode year, 2025, with a writer’s competition, celebration of fashion, culinary enjoyment and other local activations. I have helped secure an additional funding for this project to help local businesses bring this celebration to life.
A key focus is cutting unnecessary and inefficient bureaucratic regulations which frustrate residents and hamper local businesses like simplifying the procedure for local businesses to improve the streetscape with beautiful window displays. Effective technologies, to reduce processing times and improve efficiency for the approval of simple “mum and dad” development proposals and local business refurbishments will allow council to focus on complex development proposals. This will help avoid “deemed refusals”, which lead to increased costs and resources in the Land and Environment Court.
Do you support high-density housing in your area?
I support appropriate density in our area but only if it is supported by the necessary infrastructure and best practice planning principles. The Minns Labor Government’s radical housing reforms which could result in up to 11,000 more dwellings in Woollahra, including a target of 1900 new dwellings by 2029, threaten the character and amenity of our local area. Increasing the number of dwellings in Woollahra will not make those dwellings more affordable. The ordinary logic of classical economics is one which does not apply in our area – it is a matter of simple arithmetic – you only need to look at the $28.5m paid for a 2200sqm block in Carlile Street, on which eight or nine apartments will be built. Given the prices of land in Woollahra, the Minns government proposal for new buildings targeted at increasing density, will not achieve affordable housing, but it will increase congestion, put pressure on our public transport, schools and sewers, and degrade our tree canopy. The Minns proposal would have older buildings, which add to our housing mix, rebuilt into new, luxury apartments, which will not be affordable.
The Liberal-led, and ultimately bipartisan, Edgecliff and Double Bay strategies, developed in consultation with our community, will help deliver appropriate housing and control ad hoc and excessive bulk and scale in developments.
Torsten Blackwood – Residents First
About myself
I am a long-term Woollahra resident who grew up in Double Bay and has lived beside Cooper Park in Bellevue Hill for the past 15 years. As an active member of the Cooper Park community I have a thorough understanding of local issues. To spearhead the regeneration of Cooper Park North in 2017, I co-founded, then designed and built the popular Cooper Park Community Garden which was complemented by the planting of over 2,800 native trees and bushes around the park. Last year I advocated strongly for the renovation of Cooper Park Community Hall and playground facilities. I was awarded Woollahra Citizen of the Year in 2017 for my work enhancing the local environment. As a lifelong professional photographer, I have always been a keen supporter of the local arts, culture and heritage. My focus has always been on local issues and what will make Woollahra a cleaner, more sustainable and safer community for future generations to thrive in.
What have you identified as a major issue in your ward, and how would you address it if elected?
Picturesque Cooper Park is the largest surviving remnant of native bushland in the Woollahra local government area and one of Sydney’s best-kept secrets. Yet during every storm, all the rubbish from Bondi Junction, Woollahra and Bellevue Hill is washed into Cooper Creek and ultimately into Double Bay and our world renowned harbour. Woollahra is the wealthiest local government area in Australia and should be the benchmark for environmental standards. Torsten will campaign for gross pollutant traps to be installed on all stormwater drains flowing into Sydney Harbour to improve water quality and create a cleaner environment for park users, beachgoers and the marine life. Street beautification should also be a priority to enhance the quality of the built environment and attract native song birds.
What have you identified as a major issue in the Woollahra LGA, and how would you address it if elected?
Traffic congestion and the lack of convenient parking is a major concern for residents throughout Woollahra LGA. As the population of Woollahra continues to grow the issue of roads and infrastructure needs to be comprehensively addressed in order to optimise traffic flow and ensure the safety of pedestrians and cyclists as well as alleviate the congestion on our arterial roads. All council carparks need to be upgraded and kerbside parking should be designed with the interests of the local residents and small businesses in front of mind. Roundabouts increase traffic flow while traffic lights do not.
Do you support high-density housing in your area?
Woollahra already has some of the most densely populated suburbs in Australia. While Torsten supports the well-considered Strategic Plan for the Edgecliff Centre which locates higher density housing near Woollahra’s only train station he does not support the NSW State Government’s heavy handed regulation to override the decisions of local councils which are better placed to uphold the needs and amenities of the local community. With a background in architecture, Torsten has campaigned strongly against overdevelopment and the need for new buildings to be sympathetic to the local streetscapes and not encroach on open green space. Developers should be required to design their buildings using the imagination of established architects and not just structural engineers.
Double Bay Ward
Mark Giles Silcocks – Residents First
About myself
I have lived in Paddington, Woollahra and Double Bay for the last 32 years. I’m a businessman, running my own advertising agency, which I founded in 2001. I’ve been a councillor for the Double Bay ward for the last seven years, prior to which I was president of the Double Bay Residents Association. I worked hard to find a balance between inevitable growth and progress while maintaining the essence of Sydney’s stylish bayside village and protecting the quality of life in Double Bay and the surrounds of Darling Point and Point Piper. I pride myself in always being available to residents to discuss issues and ensuring that everyone’s voice is heard on any topic, big or small.
What have you identified as a major issue in your ward, and how would you address it if elected?
The major issue in the Double Bay ward is managing growth and retaining a village atmosphere in the commercial centre. Whether it’s state government proposals or local developer applications, there is always pressure to build higher and bigger and the danger is that Double Bay ends up as a soulless mini-Bondi Junction. There are also very real environmental concerns about deep excavation into a reclaimed flood plain where the water table is only one to two metres below the surface. Which is why in the last term of council, after much consultation and discussion, we’ve put in place sensible, realistic increased building envelopes in both the Double Bay and Edgecliff Commercial Centre Strategic Plans and my aim is to see those plans through in the next term without any further escalation.
What have you identified as a major issue in the Woollahra LGA, and how would you address it if elected?
The number one complaint of Woollahra local government area residents is overdevelopment and congestion. As a peninsula, it’s already one of the densest areas in Australia and there’s no more land to build on. With only two roads in and out, no train service beyond Edgecliff and a handful of bus routes, there are limited transport options for the 58,000 people living here. What’s more, there are no state government plans to invest in new infrastructure for at least the next 25 years. We know Sydney is growing and Woollahra needs to be part of that growth. But we need to manage that growth and balance it with capacity and affordability. I will continue to do all I can to ensure council stays in control of its own building controls and is allowed to decide the best way to deliver housing targets, rather than having one-size-fits-all planning proposals forced on it by the state government.
Do you support high-density housing in your area?
We have put in place a well-considered strategic plan for the Edgecliff Centre which locates higher density housing near our only train station. Beyond that I would not support high density housing elsewhere in Woollahra. We already have plenty of examples of high-rise buildings throughout Darling Point and Double Bay which were built in the 70s and have been a lasting blight on the beautiful harbourside landscape. I recognise the need to accommodate Australia’s growth and provide more affordable housing and for Woollahra to do our share, but we already have a broad selection of high- and medium-density apartments, terraces, townhouses, duplexes and single dwellings. We have overachieved all our housing targets in the last few years. And we have to remember developers only want to maximise their return: when older properties are turned into oversized luxury penthouses, we reduce both the number and affordability of those dwellings.
Toni Zeltzer – Liberal
About myself
As a councillor since 2008 and a former mayor between 2013 and 2017, I am best known as the mayor who saved Woollahra from planned mega amalgamations. I have lived in Woollahra for more than 50 years and raised my family here. I am qualified in environmental science, hold a masters in urban regional planning and a graduate of Australian Institute of Company Directors. I will ensure all new development is sensitive to its location, and respect Woollahra’s natural beauty, heritage, and enviable tree canopy.
Maintaining broad public access to the harbour and foreshore is a priority as is the delivery of improved services and facilities for the aged and disabled. For 11 years I have chaired Woollahra’s environmental sustainability taskforce. Under my watch, Woollahra is one of the first councils in Australia to be certified carbon neutral.
What have you identified as a major issue in your ward, and how would you address it if elected?
We’ve been listening to residents in Double Bay and agree that council needs to ensure that it continues to balance the need for revitalisation while maintaining residents’ amenities as well as the beautiful, leafy character of the area. There is a lot of excitement for many proposed new businesses in the commercial precinct of Double Bay, such as the impending opening of Neil Perry’s Songbird and Restoration Hardware. If elected, we would focus on unlocking further opportunities for revitalisation by cutting red tape for businesses and activating neglected sites. However, Double Bay’s growth must be matched with corresponding investment in infrastructure and upgrades of local amenities. To achieve this, we would ensure that council prioritises creating additional parking spaces throughout the commercial precinct as well as optimising traffic flow along New South Head Road.
What have you identified as a major issue in the Woollahra LGA, and how would you address it if elected?
The major issue across Woollahra is how council can continue to protect the special character and open spaces of the LGA. This is particularly important, given the Minns government’s continued desire to force a one-size-fits-all approach onto our local area, which would create an open season for developments which are inappropriate and contrary to the character of our local villages. Our precious green spaces, tree canopies and coastal foreshores such as Rushcutters Bay and Trumper Park must be protected from the threat of development and retained for all residents to enjoy.
Do you support high density housing in your area?
It is incumbent on council to ensure that that Woollahra provides enough housing to meet its own population growth, as well as ensuring that young people are not completely priced out of the incredibly tight rental and first home buyers’ market. However, we are strongly against the Labor government’s approach of effectively ignoring local controls that have been developed after almost a decade of consultation and cross-community consensus, which have been specifically designed to address the unique aspects of Woollahra’s planning challenges. If elected, we will continue to push back against the Minns Government’s proposed planning regulations and ensure that any density is well supported by the community and occurs in the right areas supported by good public transport and other important infrastructure.
Paddington Ward
Matthew Kyle Robertson – Greens
About myself
I love living in our walkable, leafy, heritage village. Our beautiful area of Paddington thrives thanks to generations of heritage conservation yet continues to face the impacts of climate change, overdevelopment and housing affordability. Now, new risks to heritage and neighbourhood character proposed by the Minns government’s one-size-fits-all planning reforms have emerged as well as the push by local Liberals to trash Woollahra’s ward system and reduce the number of councillors across our diverse local government area.
I am running again to sound a strong voice for Paddington’s voice at all levels of government on planning, climate change and heritage. I am standing to save the ward I love and a system I know delivers diverse representation that makes our council and community stronger, fairer and more resilient. I will work to protect our local democracy and diversity and continue to safeguard Paddington’s heritage whatever the NSW planning system throws at us next.
At the recent Paddington Ward meeting, I heard feedback that the cleanliness of our heritage streets is not up to scratch in a range of ways – dumped rubbish, inappropriate street tree plantings creating mess and footpath destruction, inconsistent nature-strip treatment. The list goes on …
My motion to create a Paddington public domain strategy was adopted in 2021 and work is well advanced. If re-elected, I want to see through the implementation of this strategy, which will set out the treatment for all elements of the public domain – from nature strips and footpaths to bike racks – and guide all future public domain upgrades. The council’s refresh of its street tree masterplan is well overdue and I look forward to updating this plan to ensure judicious selection of drought-resistant species that maximise solar access in winter and cool Paddington’s terraces in hotter summers of the future.
What have you identified as a major issue in the Woollahra LGA, and how would you address it if elected?
The Referendum to reduce councillors and wards is the biggest threat to our local democracy since the forced amalgamation period. The proposal to reduce from 15 to nine councillors and a likely reduction in wards from five to three has come straight out of the Liberal Party’s small government playbook. Nobody in the community has called for this change and all our resident groups are strongly opposed.
A reduction in wards and the number of councillors of this magnitude will save a meagre $200,000 per annum out of council’s $130m operating budget. It will mean more work for fewer representatives and lessen residents’ ability to access their councillors. With fewer spots up for election it will be easier for the Liberal Party to dominate council, eradicating the diverse representation that has traditionally served Woollahra well. Vote no to save our local democracy.
Do you support high density housing in your area?
I support appropriate development in the context of Woollahra’s extensive heritage areas, and already densely developed neighbourhoods. I endorsed the Edgecliff Commercial Centre Strategy to focus future density along Woollahra’s only transport hub and also to retain existing affordable dwellings and create new heritage listings.
Woollahra’s strategic plans and planning instruments are our last line of defence in a broken NSW planning system. This type of co-ordinated, strategic approach to planning informed by residents’ view and values, is what’s required to stop developers dictating the future character of our area. The Edgecliff strategy is council’s best defence against the Minns government’s housing reforms, which pose real risks to Paddington’s heritage character by inviting overdevelopment at transport hubs. We need the government instead to stop developers writing the rules and making greedy gains that destroy amenity and neighbourhood character. We need to return community needs to the centre of planning.
Alexander John Andruska – Liberal
About myself
I am a longtime resident of Paddington. I began my career as a chartered accountant in public practice and now work as the chief financial officer of a group that has several businesses in NSW and Victoria.
What have you identified as a major issue in your ward, and how would you address it if elected?
The major issue in Paddington ward is the proposed Oxford St cycleway. Clover Moore and the state Labor government will destroy Oxford St and turn our beautiful high street into a highway. The residents are furious and the local businesses are terrified they will lose there businesses and therefore their homes, during and after construction. I have never seen such fear and desperation, the residents and business feel completely ignored and their voices are not heard. Emergency services will not be able to get through the gridlock and it will be gridlock with one lane each way. The obvious solution is Moore Park Rd.
What have you identified as a major issue in your ward, and how would you address it if elected?
The major issue in Paddington ward is the proposed Oxford St cycleway. Clover Moore and the state Labor government will destroy Oxford St and turn our beautiful high street into a highway. The residents are furious and the local businesses are terrified they will lose their businesses and therefore their homes, during and after construction. I have never seen such fear and desperation. The residents and business feel completely ignored and their voices are not heard. Emergency services will not be able to get through the gridlock and it will be gridlock with one lane each way. The obvious solution is Moore Park Rd.
What have you identified as a major issue in the Woollahra LGA, and how would you address it if elected?
The Oxford Street cycleway is the number one issue in Woollahra.
Do you support high-density housing in your area?
I have zero support for higher density in Paddington. We must treasure this incredibly unique, beautiful heritage area.
Harriet Price – Residents First
About myself
I have lived in Paddington with my family for 19 years. Since my election to council in 2017, I have delivered outstanding neighbourhood assistance and leadership. Recently, I championed the local campaign to protect the Village Inn from a change of use. I also advocated for better access to recreational facilities, including a more swimmable harbour. With a background in law, I used my expertise to initiate improvements to council’s governance and meeting procedures.
What have you identified as a major issue in your ward, and how would you address it if elected?
Woollahra Council runs an exceptional preschool. There is demand for more families to have access to a quality preschool education. If re-elected, I will work to deliver an expansion of this important service.
What have you identified as a major issue in the Woollahra LGA, and how would you address it if elected?
There is widespread community disappointment in the current inability to divert soft plastics from landfill. If elected, I will continue my advocacy for a long term sustainable solution to soft plastics recycling and community confidence in recycling generally.
Do you support high density housing in your area?
I am concerned that further density cannot be accommodated without adversely impacting the significance of Paddington as a heritage conservation area.
Vaucluse Ward
Mary-Lou Jarvis – Liberal
About myself
I lead the Liberal team in Vaucluse Ward and have represented you since 2017. My ties within our community are long and strong. Living for more than 20 years in Rose Bay, my husband Nic and I have raised two daughters who attended Kincoppal-Rose Bay. My hard work has seen a place plan for Rose Bay shops, electric charging stations in Vaucluse and resident parking defended in Watsons Bay. I have successfully advocated for local infrastructure to improve our roads, footpaths, beaches, parks, playgrounds, community and sporting facilities. If re-elected, I will continue to listen to your concerns and act, using professional skills as a former lawyer, public relations consultant and manager at The Institute of Architects. For example, reducing congestion caused by boats and trailer parking and planning controls which prevent overdevelopment and protect heritage. My service to local government and the community was recognised by a 2024 Australia Day honour. Apart from seven years as a Woollahra councillor, and a period as deputy mayor, my community service covers education on the Kincoppal-Rose Bay board, heritage and environment, and the Jewish community.
What have you identified as a major issue in your ward, and how would you address it if elected?
The issue of traffic and parking in Rose Bay, Vaucluse and Watsons Bay has had a significant impact on my ward of Vaucluse. Illegal parking of boats and trailers – often left for months on New South Head Rd – and congestion generally is a major issue. My motion to change/clarify the NSW Act and regulations was passed by the council to go before the Local Government NSW conference this November.
Another issue is the lack of parking around the Rose Bay shopping precinct which deters people coming to the area to shop or visit the pub, restaurants and cafes. I am committed to the new Wilberforce Ave car park and community development, which will alleviate that issue by doubling the spaces on the present site. Funding a multimillion-dollar development is a challenge but will be assisted by new revenue from bus-shelter advertising and cutting wasteful expenditure beyond council’s core services.
What have you identified as a major issue in the Woollahra LGA, and how would you address it if elected?
Across the council area, I want to see more attention on our open spaces which are enjoyed by locals and visitors alike. We have wonderful parks and gardens as well as beaches, but improvements can always be made. An example is my support of initiatives like installing solar lights along the Gap Walk so people can use this facility after work. We need to get the balance right, so it’s why I recently moved a motion to create more netball courts for girls’ sport, supported tenders to improve our tennis courts and the planting of more trees to increase our canopy. I also argued for a budget allocation this year to renew Robertson Park.
We also need to be mindful of overdevelopment in an area that has one of the highest density levels in Australia. The proposals by the Minns government will lead to increased pressure on local infrastructure and must be fought.
Do you support high-density housing in your area?
No, except to the extent permitted in R3 zones and opportunities we have created along New South Head Rd, Double Bay, and Edgecliff Centre, well-served by public transport, close to the Sydney CBD. Since being elected in 2017, I have used my training as a former planning and environment lawyer and heritage experience as a director of the National Trust of Australia to the role of chairing council’s Environmental Planning Committee to help guide the development of local development plans and development control plans. With well-considered strategies developed and consulted over years for Double Bay and Edgecliff, we have balanced appropriate development with protection of our heritage and preservation of our local character, also facilitating affordable housing. This contrasts to the “cookie cutter” knee-jerk approach of the Minns government, which is designed to increase density across the council area, disregarding leafy suburbs, local character and heritage.
Merrill Halkerston Witt – Residents First
About myself
I have been on council since 2021. I worked hard to represent the concerns of the local community, strongly supporting local residents in their fight to maintain the resident only parking arrangements in Watsons Bay and to keep the Cooper Park tennis courts for tennis only. I have also taken a keen interest in helping residents protect Parsley Bay, retain the dog-friendly ambience of Christison Park, and achieve better outcomes for the proposed redevelopment of the Wilberforce Ave car park. I have advocated for more liberal tree pruning regulations to protect public and private harbour views and for enhanced planning controls to ensure more established trees are retained on properties undergoing demolition or signification renovations.
What have you identified as a major issue in your ward, and how would you address it if elected?
Overdevelopment is a key issue in the Vaucluse Ward, which incorporates Rose Bay and Watsons Bay. I’m very concerned that the state government has identified Rose Bay and Rose Bay North as potential “town centres” in its proposed changes to low and mid-rise housing. This means that six- to eight-storey buildings could be allowed in the R3 medium-density zones within 400m of the commercial areas. As a member of the Save Greater Sydney Coalition, I have been working with residents from across Sydney to stop these ill-considered, one-size-fits-all changes from coming into effect.
What have you identified as a major issue in the Woollahra LGA, and how would you address it if elected?
The major issue for the Woollahra local government area is overdevelopment, which will likely be turbocharged by the proposed state government changes to low and mid-rise housing and the ridiculously high new five-year target of 1900 new additional dwellings for our municipality.
I will continue to advocate that the council strongly pushes back on unsustainable plans to increase density in our area, especially because the state government has indicated it will not be supported by additional infrastructure. We also need to look at ways to protect more of our unique heritage, as our heritage conservation areas are not exempt from the proposed changes to low and mid-rise housing.
Do you support high-density housing in your area?
I’m not against locating more density around the Edgecliff train station, but on council I’ve argued that it should be supported by adequate community infrastructure and more green space. I opposed increasing the height limit for the Edgecliff Commercial Centre to 26 storeys because even the state government is unsure about whether the area can cope with the scale of density now proposed for the area. It deliberately didn’t include Edgecliff in its transport-oriented development program, citing water sewerage infrastructure constraints and maximum capacity at the train station during peak hours. A development of this height will set a terrible precedent and lead to too much congestion, significant loss of harbour views from surrounding buildings and the overshadowing of Trumper Park.
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