Sydney mayor vows to run again despite apprehended violence allegations

A Sydney mayor who was served with an interim apprehended domestic violence order protecting her ex-partner has vowed she will run in the council elections despite an “extremely difficult” fortnight.

Hawkesbury Mayor Sarah McMahon and her former partner, property director Matthew Bennett, were handed interim ADVOs last month over allegations they have made against each other.

Liberal Hawkesbury Mayor Sarah McMahon and her estranged partner Matthew Bennett.Credit: Facebook

Neither has been charged with any criminal offence.

In her first public remarks on the matter, McMahon said serving the Hawkesbury community had been her “greatest honour”, and she would contest the local government poll on September 14.

“I wish to make it abundantly clear, that instead of taking the easy route, crumbling and walking away from public service, I am choosing to stand tall and continue to be a strong advocate for what’s right and to get right back to work as your mayor,” she said on Facebook late on Thursday.

The applications were first mentioned at Windsor Local Court on July 18.

Police alleged McMahon entered the office of Bennett’s real estate agency at night and searched his computer over suspicions of infidelity on June 14. Police found McMahon at the office and applied for an ADVO against her, based upon Bennett being fearful for his safety.

Separately, court documents said McMahon told police Bennett had pinned her to a bed, knocked her off her feet and smashed furniture during their six-year relationship, which soured in late 2023.

McMahon went to Windsor police station on July 15 to make a statement about the alleged incidents, fearing violence and an assault by Bennett, court documents said.

In her online statement, McMahon said her heart was broken “as a private matter made its way into the public domain”, and the past two weeks had been “an extremely difficult and challenging time”.

McMahon was until recently a NSW Liberal Party vice president.Credit: Facebook

“It is now no secret that whilst I was still serving as your mayor … I was also dealing with personal circumstances,” McMahon said.

“After all, no matter who we are and no matter what our job may be, we are all just human beings, facing the same obstacles that life throws our way.”

McMahon, a solicitor, said she had stood with the Hawkesbury community through bushfires, floods, and the pandemic. She urged voters to “now … stand with me” and said she was ready to campaign.

She also thanked her council colleagues “who have proven that on issues like this, political walls evaporate because what matters is lending a hand to someone in a time of need”.

“I want to assure the community that this will not define me, nor detract from my focus on serving the Hawkesbury community that I love so much as your mayor.”

The pair’s cases were adjourned in court on Thursday. The application against McMahon returns to court in September; the application for the order relating to Bennett is next in court in February.

McMahon was NSW Liberal Party vice president until recently, and ran as the candidate for the knife-edge seat of Macquarie, on Sydney’s north-western outskirts, in the 2022 federal election.

At last month’s Hawkesbury Council meeting, deputy mayor Barry Calvert blocked a no-confidence motion against McMahon, who was not present.

McMahon and Bennett attracted attention after McMahon was investigated over allegations she told the NSW Electoral Commission she did not have close links to a property developer, despite Bennett’s role as co-owner of a company that promoted an “end-to-end” role in the industry.

The NSW Office of Local Government later determined Bennett did not meet the legislative definition of a property developer, and that McMahon, who was then known as Sarah Richards, did not breach the code of conduct for councillors.

With Clare Sibthorpe

Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service (1800RESPECT) on 1800 737 732.

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