Meet the Bayside Council candidates

Ward 1: Botany, Banksmeadow, Pagewood and Eastlakes.

Lead candidates for each grouping are:

A.Independent, Jennifer Muscat.

"I have lived in Ward 1 for more than 30 years with my parents' home being the old Airport Lodge on Botany Road next to the old Botany Police Station. Botany has played an important part in who I am and my involvement locally.

"I have been a teacher for 38 years in the Eastern Suburbs and have taken an active role in my children's schools at St Bernard's and OLSH Kensington for 18 years each at both primary and high school level as a member of the Parents and Friends Committee. Over the years I have supported my children in their many social and sporting activities (Netball, Waterpolo, NRL, Oz Tag and Swimming) and currently hold positions at Botany RSL Swimming Club as President and as Vice President at State RSL level. I am also a proud member of the Botany RSL Sub Branch. I was also on the consultative committee for the redevelopment of Botany Pool.

"Being involved in the local community has always been a strength of mine and I have always been proud to say that I lived in Botany. Community spirit and pride is a vital component of Botany and the voice of its people is vital to its continuing growth into the future.

"As an Independent my team - John Muscat and Sara Monahas are determined to ensure the residents of Ward 1 in Bayside get the voice and representation they deserve.

As a team we are focused on:

Giving Women a voice

Upgrade of facilities in the local community for youth and seniors

Returning our community to a greener environment as it was before amalgamation

Allowing the community to have a voice in the decision making of our council and

Upgrading of sporting facilities."

B.Labor, Christina Curry.

"I am delighted to say I am a lifelong resident who serves as Councillor on Bayside Council and the former City of Botany Bay. When I first ran for council in 2012, I wanted to contribute to our community, making it a better place for all residents. I have raised my two children in the local area, so I'm familiar with the community and their needs. As a councillor, I work hard to be a strong representative, listening and fighting for the best interests of our community.

"I'm also the founder and Chair of Bayside Women's Shelter and a university educator with a PhD and MEd. I've taught at two local High Schools, was president of a local Primary school P&C and a local sporting volunteer.

"Along with Councillor Scott Morrissey who was elected to Bayside Council in 2017 and Keith Grima, we are all long-term, active locals, committed to making Bayside a great place to live.

"We stand for:

Improving council services and responsiveness for residents,

Returning our streetscapes and gardens to their former glory,

Fighting to stop over-development in our suburbs,

Supporting local business,

Continuing to ensure our playgrounds, pools, parks and sporting fields are upgraded."

C.The Greens, James Macdonald.

"Public spaces are how we build community and protect our environment. It's about everyone's right to safely enjoy our streets, parks and beaches. We need a council who will ensure the sustainability of our local ecosystems in the face of climate change. We need a council who will invest in the spaces and services that foster a livable, nurturing city. And we need a council who will protect our clean air, protect local health and wellbeing against toxic developments, like the Matraville incinerator. I'm proud to represent the Greens in Ward 1, and will work for a council that puts residents' needs against profit."

D.Independent, John Hefernan.

John Heffernan grew up in the inner-city suburb of Glebe and attended Christian Bros High School at Lewisham. On leaving school, he worked for a large national retailer, clocking-up over 30 years of service. John has a real love of dogs and was registered as a breeder.

In 2017 he stood for election as the only independent candidate for the ward of Port Botany in the first Bayside council elections. He was and remains strongly opposed to council's amalgamation. His strong opposition resulted in his receiving the highest personal vote of all candidates in that election. For the current election John has assembled a team of like-minded, truly-independent candidates to stand with him in Ward 1 for Bayside. They are Marion Downey; a former journalist writing on health for the Sydney Morning Herald who is also a director of the Haymarket Foundation, and Theo Farasopoulos who runs a small family-owned business in Hillsdale. All of John Heffernan's team are running together as the only truly independent and unaffiliated team of candidates in the election for Bayside-Ward 1. They are absolutely determined to work for the residents of Bayside-Ward 1 and not for the vested interests of political parties.

Ward 2: Arncliffe, Wolli Creek, Turrella, Mascot and Sydney Airport.

Lead candidate for each group are:

A.Labor, Joanne Jansyn.

"I am positive and passionate about the whole Bayside community. I have been a committed local volunteer in various capacities over the last 20 years. This has included almost five years spent volunteering with the SES through to various representative roles on a local Public School P&C and local sporting club teams.

"I would be honoured to have the opportunity to represent the interests of the community, as I am a hard worker and get things done. I will bring a new voice to the decision-making process, to help make this area be the best it can be for all residents. I have campaigned against overdevelopment and against the loss of important public transport routes. In various volunteer roles, I have brought grant funding into the community to improve local natural assets.

"What we stand for: advocating to transform key services that can reduce carbon emissions such as waste management services,

supporting small businesses that make our shopping areas unique,

empowering local groups to further create community connections,

improving facilities, championing sustainable improvements and creating a more,

liveable neighbourhood with easy access to recreation and cultural amenities.

B. Independent, Michael Nagi.

C.Independent, Nicola Powel.

"I am a local mum of two children who also lives in the area and I am running because I would like to represent our community as an actual resident of the area. My experience of local politics is from the perspective of a community member who has seen candidates get elected into council to represent the area but then vote along party lines for issues that are detrimental to our area: Massive rate increases, stopping local people deciding on de-amalgamation, local community events cancelled in our area, but not in the Rockdale area....the list is long.

"So I am putting myself forward to stand up for local issues and stand against the usual candidates, some of whom do not actually care about the electorate they are voted into.

"I work full time but also do community work in our area for organisations such as SECC, and the women's domestic violence centre and Bayside Women's Shelter. I don't have a marketing machine like the party candidates but I have set up a Facebook page if you would like to follow that. I will be adding information there over the coming weeks.

"FB is Nicola Powell Independent Bayside Ward 2. I hope this information is useful for making your choice."

D. The Greens, Peter Strong.

"It would be great to see some public consultations for the planning for future development of Riverine Park. As well as sports facilities we should cater for walkers, cyclists, workshop coordinators, bird watchers and gardeners. Kiosks, walkways and places to encourage community interaction would really be a boost for the Bayside community. We also need more tree canopy to cool our parks and local streets so we can be more resilient to climate change."

Ward 3: Banksia, Bardwell Park, Bardwell Valley, Rockdale and Kogarah.

Lead candidate for each grouping:

A.Independent, Constance Gerakis.

B.The Greens, Greta Werner.

"Public space is not just about getting from A to B. It's where we have chance encounters with our neighbours, where we exercise and enjoy the outdoors. The Greens think it is important to consult with the community and for residents to have access to a natural, healthy environment. Bayside has a legacy of plastifying parks, with six synthetic fields within 3 km of Rockdale station. We can do better. Sports fields are important, but we should not forget that places like Barton Park are a habitat for endangered birds and other wildlife. Bayside Council should make sure that future generations can enjoy such features as the wetlands that are currently part of Barton Park."

C.Labor, Bill Saravinovski.

"As Mayor, I've fought to deliver for our entire community across Bayside and to make our area a great place to live, work and raise our families. I have been proud to fight for record investment in our local facilities, such as the new Arncliffe Youth Centre, massive improvements to local sporting facilities, and to open the new library at Rockdale. I have also worked to rally our community together on issues such as the new M5 East Toll which has caused thousands of trucks to flood onto our local roads, and to deliver COVID-19 relief to local businesses and residents, particularly during the recent curfew period when Bayside was named an 'area of concern'.

"In addition, I have successfully fought against the State Government's plans for overdevelopment in our suburbs, and have helped stop the high-rise planning precincts which were proposed in Bardwell Park and Turrella with our local MP Steve Kamper.

"If I'm re-elected, I will continue to fight for improvements to our community services, facilities and local parklands, and I will work every day to stand up for our community and deliver for local residents."

D. Independent, Andrew Tsounis.

"In the upcoming local government elections my independent team will be contesting for the positions of councillor in Ward 3.

"I believe that there is no place for party politics in local government. We bring a wealth of ability and experience to the table as well as being long standing members of our community.

"As a resident of Bayside for over 20 years I have served a total of nine years on both Rockdale and Bayside councils.

"I will be standing for a third term with my running mate Anne Field who has served a total of 17 years on the former Rockdale and Kogarah councils. Anne is a former high school teacher, historian, accomplished author and community advocate on many issues including the F6 freeway. Trevor Dyet is third on our ticket and has been involved in various local sporting organisations.

"Whilst on council I have endeavoured to achieve the best outcome for the wider community, listening to the residents and engaging before making decisions, putting community values first.

"The community wants our open green space to be preserved and well maintained for active and passive use. The community wants quiet enjoyment of their homes, not to be burdened by over development or the threat of higher density. They want clean streets, parks and beaches along with safe streets and community services.

"This will require a strong effective financially responsible council with a close cooperation of state government agencies. "

Ward 4: Bexley and Bexley North, Kingsgrove, Carlton, Kogarah.

Lead candidate of each grouping:

A.Independent, Elizabeth Barlow.

"Having been a foundation member of the amalgamated Council that formed Bayside Council I would like to continue the amazing results that have been achieved under some very difficult inherited financial circumstances.,

"I am once again seeking re-election and am looking forward to building on the $1 B in service and assets that we have delivered for the community over an extraordinary four year period.

"As a member of the M5 Working Party I would continue to have the Council lobby for the unfair toll on the M5 and if elected I will ask Council to once again invite the new Minister for Transport to meet at Bexley to see the incredible impact the unfair toll is having on our residents lives and business community. as the former Minister had declined numerous times.

"I will continue to fight to preserve our heritage, protect our natural environment, and improve our open spaces, and continue to Green our City.

"As a Councillor for the past 26 years and proud to live in Bayside as it is a great City and will always be a great place to live in the future if your Council truly represents and works for all residents.

"Good local Government is best delivered by true Independent councillors who are motivated by the residents who support them and rely on them for honest representation.

" That is why I have chosen Mark Hanna to run with me as a former Independent Councilor who had spearheaded the rebuild of Bexley Pool, and is a true Independent, and another long term resident of Ward 1 Ying Xu."

B. The Greens, Catriona Carver.

"With a bit of good planning, Bayside could have its own version of Sydney Park. Behind Barton Park and bordered by the Cooks River is a series of five fields named Riverine Park. They are currently surrounded by locked fences. This open grassed area was rumoured to have been used during the Sydney Olympics as practise space. 21 years later these fields have been through many options but now, what could they be? If the gates are open then residents can come in and see for themselves. We are interested to know what places, parks and spaces you are enjoying and how you think they could be improved. Join our facebook group, instagram or email us and let us know."

C.Labor, Joe Awada.

"I was elected councillor in 2004 representing Fourth Ward. After council amalgamation I was re-elected to the newly formed Bayside council in 2017 and still representing Fourth Ward.

"As the Mayor for the last two years, my approach has always been to work in a professional manner and work very closely with the Bayside community for a better outcome for our city and to improve the quality of life for people within the area. I am committed to serve the broader community and make decisions that are in the best interest of rate payers. My priority for the Bayside community: Work closely with the local community,

Build new parks and improve existing parks,

Lobby the State Government to remove the toll on the M5 East,

Work with the Local Police to establish Anti hoon task force,

Improve Safety around schools,

"Local traffic issues and safety around schools has been of interest to me, I have been involved and chaired meetings regarding changes to traffic and parking around schools in Fourth Ward. The meetings involved the residents, RMS representatives, the NSW police representatives, the school principals and our council engineers."

Ward 5: Kyeemagh, Brighton-Le-Sands, Monterey, Ramsgate Beach, Dolls Point, Sandringham, Sans Souci.

Lead candidate of each grouping.

A,Independent, Paul Sedrak.

As a Liberal Councillor for almost 10 years, Paul has demonstrated integrity and dedication in serving the Bayside community. Having grown up in the area, Paul and his wife are proud to raise their three young children in Bayside.

Paul is a committed teacher for over 20 years. He also sits on several advisory boards, coordinates numerous volunteer programs supporting marginalised youth and people in need.

Paul has helped deliver positive change and improvements to Brighton Le Sands and Ramsgate Beach town centres, as well as pathways along the foreshore, park and playground improvements, and installation of CCTV security around the city.

As a Conservative Independent, Paul is committed to

7 Point Action Plan:

1. Supporting the development of Brighton Marina.

2. Supporting the closure of Bay St, Brighton and create an open air shopping mall.

3. Activate the beach fronts with cafes, bars and sports.

4. Introduce a ferry service connecting Brighton / Sans Souci with Kurnell and La Perouse.

5. Combat 'hoons' and antisocial behaviour.

6. Improve parking and traffic calming measures.

7. Reduce council red tape and costs for small businesses and families.

Paul's Liberal values and genuine passion for the area together with his strong work ethic, will ensure that your voice is being represented.

B.Independent, Heidi Douglas.

Heidi Douglas is the founder and lead candidate for Peaceful Bayside. She is a grassroots community independent with a track record in striving and working to make Bayside better. Since launching her Bayside Residents for Peaceful Streets petition in July 2020, more than 3,000 residents have joined Heidi to lobby the council, police, and state government to create safer streets in Bayside. Heidi established the Peaceful Bayside Action Group to coordinate this push for safer streets. The proactive actions of the community-focused group helped trigger Bayside Council's Safe Bayside campaign, and Operation Engage - a crackdown on hoons by police, the Environmental Protection Authority, and Transport for NSW.

Peaceful Bayside believes fresh, visionary leadership is needed on Bayside Council to create long-lasting positive change for our community. Peaceful Bayside has created comprehensive policies including a Road Safety policy, outlining short and long-term solutions to create safer roads in Bayside; the Creative Bayside policy, to activate Bayside as an arts and culture hub; Renew Bayside: a COVID-19 recovery initiative nurturing our local creative community by arranging short-term pop-up shops in empty shop fronts; a Significant Tree Register policy, to help the council better protect significant trees in Bayside: Greener Bayside, a green spaces and climate action policy; information for our community to better understand jet ski laws and how to report unsafe and illegal jetskis activity; and a 10-point policy to address the issue of domestic violence, a known local issue.

C.Labor, Ed MacDougall.

Over the past four years I have been very proud to represent our community and to have delivered a range of significant amenity improvements to our foreshore suburbs along Botany Bay, such as anti-hooning initiatives like the closure of the Kyeemagh Boat Ramp and foreshore car parks at night, and the installation of traffic calming on local roads like Clareville Avenue at Sans Souci. I've also been able to have Council implement more diversified use of our beachfront, such as the introduction of a smoke-free zone at Brighton-Le-Sands and the off-leash dog beach at Kyeemagh. I have tried to make our area more family-friendly and make sure Council continues to invest in our community, and to make sure our suburbs aren't overburdened by inappropriate overdevelopment.

I am standing for re-election as I hope to fight for significant improvements to some of our ageing facilities, particularly children's playgrounds and family facilities, to increase tree planting and improve our green spaces, to renew our public libraries at Brighton-Le-Sands and Sans Souci, and to continue to work hard for the community in Ward 5.

D.Independent, Ilias Tzortzis.

E.Independent, James Macdonald.

"I have lived in the Bayside area for over 35 years and have been a proud local Genuine independent Councillor and former deputy Mayor representing Ward 5 for 13 years. I am not affiliated with any political party which allows me to be your true voice in council. I have the experience and understand the importance of sensible decision making for the successful future of Bayside. Many claim to be independent, I am proud to say I am a Genuine independent.

Raising our family and running a small business in Bayside, I am fully invested in the future of the Bayside community. I do believe we have a responsibility to build a better future. A future that ensures Bayside is a city where people from all walks of life can safely live, work, and raise their families. As a councillor over the last 13 years, I have shown I am passionate and committed to making a difference.

As a Ward 5 Councillor, I would be focused on.

Ungrouped:

Ron Bezic, Independent