Election results here Mayor Regan makes history as Wakehurst MP after successful campaign
Voters in the electorate of Pittwater will decide their new representative this Saturday as they head to the polls for the NSW State Election, following the retirement of Liberal Brad Hazzard, who has represented the electorate for 32 years.
Where can I vote?
For those voting on the main polling day, 21 voting centres will be open from 8am – 6pm across the electorate. You can also access the NSW Electoral commission’s maps and information on their website.
Want to vote elsewhere? Residents are able to vote outside the district, just needing to notify poll workers that they’re doing so and sign a declaration envelope to ensure they’re marked off the electoral roll.
Early voting
Can’t make the main polling day? Early voting will be available in Frenchs Forest, Brookvale, Dee Why and Narrabeen for those who are eligible from today for the week up to the election (excluding Sunday).
Early voting hours:
Thu: 8:30am – 8:00pm
Fri: 8:30am – 6:00pm
YoYos Forest Youth Centre – 10 Forest Way, Frenchs Forest NSW 2086. The centre is right next to Forest Way shops and can be easily accessed by public transport with a nearby bus interchange at the intersection of Warringah Road. Designated accessible parking and wheelchair access is available.
Warringah Mall Community Room – 145 Old Pittwater Road, Brookvale NSW. This venue has lifts within close proximity and is recommended for the elderly members of our community who want to avoid the rush on election day. Being located in a shopping centre, parking is not a problem and is the ideal place to vote whilst doing the shopping.
Manly Election Manager’s Office – 8A/27-33 Oaks Avenue, Dee Why NSW 2099. This booth is located on the ground floor of Dee Why Market, close to the B-Line bus stop, with a car park on-site and wheelchair access.
South Narrabeen Surf Life Saving Club – 1200 Pittwater Road, Narrabeen NSW. Ocean View Room. There is lift access and disabled toilet facilities on site, and is a short 3 minute walk from the 199 bus stop.
What’s the state of play?
Wakehurst joins neighbouring Manly and Pittwater as another unusually competitive blue-ribbon electorate; teal independents proved popular in the Federal election and the long-standing Liberal incumbents (Brad Hazzard in Wakehurst and Rob Stokes in Pittwater) are retiring come Saturday.
The Wakehurst electorate captures the suburbs between KIllarney Heights and Brookvale, all the way up to Wheeler Heights.
(view Wakehurst electorate map here).
Brad Hazzard, the retiring member, held various portfolios over his 32 years in government, serving most recently as the Minister for Health.
The Liberal party holds the seat by a margin of 21%, and has done so since the electorate’s creation in 1962, except when it was held by Labor for two terms following the 1978 election.
Premier Dominic Perrottet currently leads a minority government with 75 seats, meaning the Liberal-National Coalition rely on a member of the crossbench to pass legislation in the lower house. Considering Labor is notionally nine seats away from a majority (accounting for redistribution), it is likely that either major party will need to negotiate for the support of independents or smaller parties to form government.
Residents have cited flooding on the Wakehurst Parkway, the private operation of the Northern Beaches Hospital and proposed development in the area – which has particularly become a flashpoint near Lizard Rock – as pressing issues in the electorate.
Manly Observer has put together a quick rundown below on who is who, with the candidates being listed in the order of which they’ll appear on the ballot.
Who are the candidates for Wakehurst?
[1] Sue Wright (Labor)
Labor is hoping to break a three-decade Liberal stranglehold on the electorate with active community member and Narraweena resident Sue Wright.
Labor has traditionally considered Northern Beaches seats unwinnable and used them as campaign training experience for younger members of the Labor Party still at University.
Wright’s community activities include for the Save the Mona Vale Hospital Committee, Save the Manly Ferries Alliance and Don’t Privatise Our Buses, as well as Mothers Against Nuclear Testing, Labor Environment Action Network and Greenpeace.
Ms Wright said that after three decades in Wakehurst, the Liberal Party had taken voters for granted.
“The Liberals have taken the people of Wakehurst for granted. Local residents deserve a voice and their vote should count. I understand the enormity of the challenge ahead of me in this electorate, but my number one priority in this campaign is to listen to local residents, and provide them with a voice and a choice this election,” said Ms Wright.
[2] Greg Mawson (Sustainable Australia)
Greg Mawson provides IT support for local support for schools in the area. He opposes the state government’s intervention in local planning decisions and wants to “improve public transport in the area”. He does not have any electoral material available online and did not attend the recent ‘Meet the Candidates’ forum.
His party, Sustainable Australia, advocates stricter planning laws and the restriction of the development and foreign ownership of new housing. While in favour of expanded public transport options, they are neutral on privatisation. They support a cashless gaming card and caps on poker machines. Their stance on other local issues is unclear.
[3] Susan Sorensen (Animal Justice Party)
Susan Sorensen is an early childhood educator and environmental activist, and campaigning for a prohibition on shark nets, drum lines and 1080 poison – a controlled pesticide used in culling of wild animals.
Her campaign seeks to provide political representation for animals, particularly those used in circuses and those killed on Northern Beaches roads and in native bushland.
“Only when we can care for our most vulnerable and when we can work together to solve these problems, will we be able to care for our own species.”
[4] Ethan Hrnjak (The Greens)
19-year-old Ethan Hrnjak faces a wealth of experience in Wakehurst as the Greens candidate.
Hrnjak, who studies environmental law at Macquarie university, said his goals if elected are to support better planning laws, more environmentally sound infrastructure and end privatisation of public services.
“We have a long record of fighting tooth and nail to deliver cleaner, greener, and fairer outcomes for the people and environment of New South Wales.” Mr Hrnjak said.
Hrnjak is campaigning for Northern Beaches Hospital to be put into public hands and is vehemently opposed to development at Lizard Rock. He would like to see public transport provided free and opposes the Northern Beaches Tunnel.
[5] Toby Williams (Liberal)
With the retirement of Brad Hazzard, RSL club director Toby Williams secured the Liberal’s preselection for Wakehurst.
Williams has worked as an electorate staffer to Hazzard and fought off a challenge from long-time party member and businesswoman Wendy Finianos in the final preselection vote.
A highly-involved and active community member, Williams was raised on the Northern Beaches, a son of a local police officer and of a former Manly Warringah player, Mr Williams is a Justice of the Peace who holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a number of board level appointments, including ClubsNSW, Dee Why RSL Club, Harbord Bowling and Recreation Club.
He is President of the Manly Warringah Football Referees Association and a Life Member of Warringah Aquatic Swimming Club and Warringah Amateur Swimming Association.
[6] Michael Regan (Independent)
A popular figure on the Northern Beaches and leader of the local government meant independent movement ‘Your Northern Beaches’, Northern Beaches Mayor Michael Regan is considered a fair chance at claiming the traditionally blue-ribbon seat.
Regan was elected the mayor of the former Warringah Council in 2008 before becoming mayor of the amalgamated Northern Beaches Council in 2016.
He has been very vocal on issues relating to the troubled bus network on the Beaches, where bus driver shortages are among several issues affecting network unreliability. Supporting solar energy and fixing the congestion through Dee Why’s major intersections are among his platforms, which were referenced in our earlier interview.
If elected to the State seat the Mayor will relinquish his mayoral robes.
