Campaign promises include freezing council rates, "getting rid of the rats", free city trams, making Sydney safer and more affordable, and introducing two-term limits for the Mayor

SYDNEY, July 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- We Love Sydney Independents, led by Lord Mayoral candidate and former Warringah Council Mayor Sam Danieli, today announced the official launch of their campaign for the upcoming City of Sydney Council election.

The campaign is based on a comprehensive three-point plan aimed at revitalising Sydney with safety and accessibility improvements, and making it more affordable for residents and businesses. It involves several sensible adjustments to the infrastructure, finances and organisational structure of the Council, including:

• Enhancing safety through an increased number of security officers and better use of Council infrastructure funds.
• Cheaper parking and renewed focus on public transport, including lobbying to introduce free tram services.
• Financial relief for residents and businesses through a freeze on rates in the first budget of the new Council.

"After 20 years of the incumbent putting residents and businesses second to her own fantasy initiatives and personal wish list, it's time for a change - starting with two-term limits for the Mayor," said Sam. "We need practical solutions that prioritise the needs of ratepayers, residents and businesses, rather than personal projects."

"Our campaign is the only one in this election that has a real plan to unseat the current Mayor. For the past four elections, the major parties and minor contenders have attempted - and failed - to remove the 20-year incumbent. We are in it to win, and we will quickly implement much-needed and useful reform for Sydney's citizens and businesses."

Bike lanes, parking, open spaces and community centers are also in the team's sights.

"We need to audit all current bike lane projects, some of which may be scrapped due to poor planning and consultation by the incumbent," added Sam. "Then we can a look at lowering parking costs, supporting sustainable development, guaranteeing approval times for new builds, creating more open spaces, and providing greater community facilities and playgrounds."

Three-point plan for Sydney

1. Safe & Clean City: Getting rid of the rats

The campaign promises to enhance Sydney's safety and cleanliness, with the vision of making Sydney the cleanest and safest city in the world.

It will achieve this by investing in improved infrastructure through better use of Council funds and increasing the number of security officers, instead of paying parking officers to patrol empty streets.

"People will want to come into the City to work, live and play at any time of the day or night if we can ensure a safe and clean Sydney," explained Sam. "We'll get rid of the rats that have infested our City, make the City safer and cleaner."

2. Accessible and Lively City: Improving transport & convenience

We Love Sydney Independents plan to make Sydney the most exciting and accessible major city in the world, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

This includes introducing cheaper parking, improving public transportation by lobbying to introduce free tram services from Circular Quay to Central, and improving Sydney's alfresco, street art and laneway cultures.

Geoff Alder, a candidate for City of Sydney Councillor and former investment banking and not-for-profit CEO, added, "Ensuring easy and affordable access to the City is just common sense - for businesses to thrive, people need to actually be able to get there."

Although a long-term resident of Darlinghurst and Kings Cross, Geoff spent 20 years working overseas and saw first hand where Sydney now falls short - and what should be done differently. "We need to make structural changes at the Council level to bring back our nightlife and culture - major international cities don't have a buzzing culture by chance. We will ensure everyone's voices are heard by extensively consulting with businesses and residents on their needs and ideas to recharge, reshape and restore Sydney to its world-leading status."

3. Affordable City: Alleviating financial pressures

The We Love Sydney Independents team aims to alleviate financial pressures on residents and businesses through offering a rate freeze in their first budget of the new Council, providing relief to ratepayers and fostering a business-friendly environment.

"We can give locals much-needed respite and foster a healthy local economy by freezing rates and supporting local businesses," stated Dr. Mira Andric, also a We Love Sydney Independents candidate for City of Sydney Councillor, and General Practitioner and Principal of a medical practice in The Rocks. "This should help contain rent increases for residents, as there are no tax increases for landlords."

Increasing supply of affordable housing

Sam Danieli and his We Love Sydney Independents team will also steadfastly support responsible and sustainable development throughout the City of Sydney, particularly through the construction of more high-density housing close to transportation hubs.

Instead of wasting time and Council resources trying to repurpose Moore Park Golf Course into nothing, the team will focus on practical housing solutions - a passionate issue for professional golf coach and Moore Park local Scott Davis, who has joined the team as a candidate for Councillor.

"Keeping Moore Park Golf Course intact means preserving a valuable resource for the community for coming years. I am committed to preserving our green areas and making sure they continue to bring happiness and leisure to everyone," Scott said.

Catherine Yang, a young professional and candidate for City of Sydney Councillor, emphasised the importance of affordable housing for young people in Sydney. "We need to ensure that young professionals can afford to live in the city they work in. By increasing the supply of affordable housing near transportation hubs, we not only make it easier for people to get to work, but we also help them build a stable future in Sydney."

Learn more:

We Love Sydney Independents campaign launch video

We Love Sydney Independents website

Three-Point Plan

Meet the Team