Message from the Mayor - 23 October 2024

Published on 23 October 2024

Thank you for the messages of support I have received from Woollahra community members following my election as Mayor. I appreciate the trust and responsibility placed in me and pledge to be open minded, available and approachable while leading our wonderful community, and would like to share with you all, some of my priorities as I begin my term.

As a Council, we have no more important responsibility than to ensure that our work is done efficiently. The development application process is currently too long and complex, and I will be focusing on identifying and implementing ways to make this much shorter and simpler.

I attach special significance to addressing family violence in our community, and intend to continue to do so.

We must also do more to engage our youth, find ways to support their mental health and better represent them. Our community members in their 20s and 30s are desperately seeking connection with their peers. As a member of this cohort, this is something I see each week at community groups like She Runs, 440, Easts Rugby Club and more recently, at the Sydney Convicts Rugby Club 20 year celebration. The right balance must be found between the need for passive open recreational spaces and providing for the needs of our young people.

I intend to fight against the imposition of the NSW Government’s housing targets, which would fundamentally alter the character of our municipality. It is not a matter of opposing all development, but of ensuring inappropriate development is avoided, while a strategic approach is adopted across the whole LGA.

I am also committed to doing all I can to support local businesses and cut unnecessary red tape to help promote their success.

HSC extended study hours at Woollahra Library

I enjoyed spending time with local HSC students studying at Woollahra Library in Double Bay last week, and wish to extend the best of luck to all students for your upcoming exams. I hope you are proud of your hard work, resilience and perseverance as you close this important chapter of your lives.

If you need a little extra time to study, the Library is open for extended hours during peak study periods. Visit HSC help for more info.