New Waverley mayor William Nemesh to cut red tape holding Bondi nightlife back

A newly elected eastern suburbs mayor has lifted the lid on his plans to cut the “red tape” he believes to be behind the deterioration of Bondi’s nightlife.

New Waverley Council mayor William Nemesh.

A newly elected Sydney mayor has lifted the lid on his plans to cut the “red tape” he believes to be behind the deterioration of Bondi’s nightlife.

Waverley Council’s new mayor, the Liberal Party’s William Nemesh, said it was a “crying shame that the vibrancy of our night-life is dwindling”.

Speaking to this masthead, Mr Nemesh said his team was “committed to extending trading hours” for commercial precincts including Bondi Junction and Bondi Beach.

“We will look at reducing red tape for our local businesses, and crucially we want to create vibrant commercial precincts,” he said.

“This is why we will undertake a comprehensive master plan for Bondi Junction.”

Bondi Public Bar on a quiet night out at Bondi Beach. Picture: Jonathan Ng

One of the more vibrant drinking holes, particularly for the younger generation, is Bondi Public Bar in Bondi Beach.

It has been pleading with Waverley Council to stop the onslaught of red tape preventing it from staying open later and hosting live entertainment.

The venue has submitted a development modification application, in which it has asked the council to delete a condition which imposes a “lockout” from midnight each day of the week except Sunday, when it begins at 11pm.

It also wants the council to remove a condition that requires it to continually seek approval for live entertainment, in line with Mr Nemesh’s wish to cut red tape.

The new mayor said he wanted to make Bondi Junction the eastern suburbs’ major “destination” by providing a range of services and amenities, including a “vibrant nightlife”.

Following the change in leadership, Mr Nemesh, who has replaced Labor councillor Paula Masselos as mayor, said his party was “committed to providing the policy setting for this to occur”.

Labor Waverley councillor Paula Masselos. Picture: Supplied

Mr Nemesh said the “biggest issue” with the former Labor-led council was its “lack of vision” which he believed meant the community “did not receive the representation it deserved”.

“I and my team went into the election with a bold vision for our local area,” he said.

“I am not afraid to make the hard decisions which need to be made. We need to see strong leadership on issues such as social cohesion, housing delivery and infrastructure spending.”

Ms Masselos told this masthead Mr Nemesh hadn’t moved “any notices of motion to extend trading hours to build a night-time economy in Bondi Junction” during his previous two terms as councillor.

She rejected Mr Nemesh’s comments, saying a previous Liberal-led council had introduced lockouts, which she said remained in place until her appointment as mayor, in pubs across the Waverley Council area.

Ms Masselos highlighted a number of initiatives she had instituted to revitalise the nightlife economy in the area, including a motion to extend trading hours in the Oxford St mall precinct.

“He’s late to the issue. There are lots of initiatives that already in train,” she said.

As Mr Nemesh looks into the future, he said he was hoping “to see more festivals and entertainment options” at Bondi Beach, declaring there was “vast opportunity” to use the Bondi Pavilion for community use.

His comments follow a $48m revamp of the pavilion, which was completed in September 2022 after a budget blowout that resulted in the original estimate of $26.7m almost doubling.

Mr Nemesh secured the Waverley mayoralty in a draw of names following a six-all tie in votes cast by councillors.

Labor’s Keri Spooner was picked as deputy mayor, with both to serve two-year stints.