Running as a Labor candidate in a traditionally blue ribbon area like Lane Cove has its challenges. 

This will be my third campaign as a candidate in Lane Cove having previously contested the Council Election in 2012 and the State Election in 2015.

As my wife and I raise our two children, I am further motivated to ensure their future has been considered through the decisions we make today. For example, will there be enough room in our local primary schools without my children spending all their school years in demountable classrooms? My time with my family is being compromised as I have to wait longer to get a bus to and from work. Have we reached the point of overdevelopment whilst not investing enough in the services we all rely on? Yes – some of these are State Government issues. However, as a local Councillor I can be a fresh voice to ensure these issues are addressed. 

Keeping active in the community has enabled me to keep up to date with the changing needs of our area. Lane Cove Labor has hosted community forums on a variety of issues including forced council amalgamations, proposed changes to racial discrimination laws, improving local public transport and maintaining local emergency services.

Increasingly local residents are contacting me with their frustrations at the lack of response from our currently elected Federal, State and local Councillors.

I firmly believe there is a balance to how Government and private enterprise work together to create the society we live in. Outsourcing everything to the private sector is not the panacea to our problems that some Politicians and commentators would have you believe. 

The head of The Committee of Sydney says we are full of nimbys in the Lower North Shore(1). The problem is we have seen a rapid increase in development with no matching increase in services. Our current Liberal controlled Council in Lane Cove has been mostly quiet in demanding that services be increased to match our growing population. 

We need local residents and local representatives who will stand up and truly voice what we need. The demographic of Lane Cove is changing and our needs are as important and warranted as the fast growing areas of north-western or south-western Sydney. 

As a candidate and hopeful Councillor, I am keen to listen and work with our community to make Lane Cove an enjoyable place to live. Having maintained an online presence between elections to be accessible to local residents is what I believe any elected representative should do. I have done this.

I would love to hear what you want me to do as a potential elected Councillor. Please click on THIS LINK to complete my community survey. 

(1) North Shore Times “High Octane Nimbyism” – Thursday 13^th July 2017.