With the NSW State Election on Saturday 25 March, Peninsula Living spoke with the local candidates for Davidson, Manly and Wakehurst about why they hope to enter the hallowed halls of parliament.
DAVIDSON
Davidson has been held by the Liberals since the seat was created in 1971. On the Northern Beaches, the electorate covers Belrose and Davidson. Sitting member Jonathan O’Dea is retiring this election after 16 years in the seat.
CAROLINE ATKINSON | THE GREENS
Caroline is a sustainability consultant and chairs an environmental advocacy organisation. She wants to stop developers profiteering from unaffordable housing built without the necessary infrastructure. Caroline wants to protect Davidson’s unique habitat from overdevelopment by genuine use of the land offset scheme. She wants to make housing more affordable in the electorate, so essential workers can live in the area.
MATT CROSS | AUSTRALIAN LIBERAL PARTY
Matt is dedicated to protecting the natural and built environment and opposes over-development without proper infrastructure, including the Lizard Rock project. He is a policy expert and has previously advised several former NSW premiers. Matt will continue to advocate for infrastructure that reduces congestion, like the Beaches Link. He has a strong passion for addressing the stigma around mental health and has fundraised for Lifeline.
KARYN EDELSTEIN | AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY
Karyn wants a State Government that is focused on recruiting more teachers, resuscitating the health system, protecting the environment, and renewing manufacturing. Karyn runs a small family business and believes more can be done to support such owners. If elected, she will strive to ensure the preservation of Davidson’s unique urban forest environment and take action on climate change and biodiversity conservation.
JANINE KITSON | INDEPENDENT
Janine is passionate about stopping over-development and has been involved in campaigns to save St Ives’ Blue Gum High Forest. The former teacher, who has also served on Ku-ring-gai Council, believes we need clean, cheap, safe, renewable energy to help address the climate crisis and cost-of-living crisis. She says stronger NSW planning and environment laws must be implemented to protect places like Lizard Rock.
MANLY
Manly Beach sits at the heart of this Northern Beaches electorate, which is crowned by Dee Why, with Seaforth at its western end. While the Liberals have won the last five elections in the seat – including incumbent James Griffin – it has had several independent MPs.
JAMES GRIFFIN | AUSTRALIAN LIBERAL PARTY
Currently the Manly MP, James wants to continue delivering ‘great results’ for the community, like building a strong local economy and delivering the Adolescent Young Adult Hospice. James believes strongly in looking after the ‘vulnerable and voiceless’ and ensuring young people get the education they need. He says he has delivered $118 million in funding for upgrades to local public schools and $11.4 million for specialist youth mental health services.
JOELINE HACKMAN | INDEPENDENT
Joeline is a community activist who started the Northern Beaches’ War on Waste five years ago, aimed at helping people reduce waste. The business consultant is running as a ‘teal’ independent, focusing on the economic welfare of businesses and the rising cost of living. Protecting the environment is also important, and Joeline has devised a bill with other independent candidates to end PEP-11 and offshore gas mining.
TERRY LE ROUX | THE GREENS
Terry is running for election because he believes the environments in Manly and across NSW are under threat from issues like inappropriate development and loss of habitat. Terry believes the planning system is controlled by developers, which does not prioritise the community or environment. He has used his expertise as an techno-economist to help community groups with campaigns and wants locals involved in decisions about bus services and timetables.
BAILEY MASON | ANIMAL JUSTICE PARTY
Bailey is a 21-year-old animal rights activist and environmentalist who believes animals need a voice. He maintains that shark nets must be replaced with modern technologies that protect people and do not strangle whales. Poison 1080 must be banned to stop pets from dying, and there should be no more exploitation of animals in circuses. Bailey says a ban on greyhound gambling is needed before poker machine reform.
EMANUELE PALETTO | SUSTAINABLE AUSTRALIA PARTY
Emanuele wants to protect the environment and entrepreneurship, which has enabled and stop over-development and corruption. him to meet a cross-section of residents and He says the most important issue for the area is other business owners in the electorate. The the rapid development and densification rate. Beaches Link should be scrapped, and rail Emanuele has experience in small business and bus networks expanded, he says.
WAKEHURST
Retiring Health Minister Brad Hazzard has held this blue ribbon seat for 32 years. It is the Northern Beaches seat with the most ‘land-locked’ suburbs, and where the pull of development of untouched forest areas can be at odds with community desire for green space.
ETHAN HRNJAK | THE GREENS
Ethan, 19, wants to bring a young voice to parliament. The university student wants the Northern Beaches Hospital put back into public hands and high-frequency, high-capacity public transport. The Lizard Rock development must be stopped, and the government should work towards finding alternative revenue streams for the site owners to support Indigenous communities. Ethan also believes poker machines need to be removed from all pubs and clubs in NSW by 2033.
GREG MAWSON | SUSTAINABLE AUSTRALIA PARTY
Greg has lived and worked in the local community for 27 years, including at many schools providing IT support. He wants to stop over-development, improve public transport, and return real planning powers to local communities through councils and proper engagement. He believes more funding is needed to create a world-class education system and the salaries and conditions of teachers need to be improved.
MICHAEL REGAN | INDEPENDENT
Michael has been mayor of Northern Beaches Council for 14 years. He believes the two-party political system has let the community down, and that Wakehurst needs a strong, independent voice in parliament. Michael has developed an alternative to the Spit Bridge project and offers ‘smart’ solutions for the cost-of-living crisis, like interest-free grants for solar panels. His achievements like the Cromer Park precinct show he can deliver, he says.
SUE WRIGHT | AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY
Sue is a community activist who is passionate about fighting to retain public services, like hospitals, public transport, and properly funded schools. Privatisation of public transport has led to fewer services for locals, she says. There is a lack of affordable housing in the area, and issues with homelessness. Of particular concern for Sue is the loss of public health clinics, especially for women, when the Northern Beaches Hospital was built.
TOBY WILLIAMS | AUSTRALIAN LIBERAL PARTY
Toby is driven to ensure the Beaches gets the infrastructure and services needed. An advisor to current MP Brad Hazzard, he will ensure that Wakehurst continues to receive its fair share of support for schools, health facilities, roads, and transport. Toby is ‘particularly passionate’ about expanding mental health facilities for young people at the Northern Beaches Hospital. He will also work to enhance the local public transport network and support teachers.
SUSAN SORENSEN | ANIMAL JUSTICE PARTY
Susan is running to ensure that the protections and needs of animals, people and bushlands are not buried beneath rhetoric. “Without any changes to our current lifestyle and choices, (there will be) a continual downward spiral in the quality of life for animals, the land and our future generations,” she says. Preservation of local bushland and reduction of ‘roadkill’ victims must urgently be addressed.
The candidates included in this feature comprise of those that had nominated as of print date, 15 February.