Ku-ring-gai Living

29 August 2024

What the Ku-ring-gai Council Candidates want you to know before election day

Tell us about your connection to the electorate and name three places in the electorate that you love.

I moved to Ku-ring-gai nearly ten years ago with my husband and three boys, settling in Killara. I  completed high school in Ku-ring-gai, and then studied law and languages at university. Study and  work took me to Switzerland, Sydney, Melbourne, Jakarta and Shanghai. I’m pleased our boys are  growing up in this community, with our youngest son attending Killara Public School and now in his  final year at Killara High School. 

I’m Chair of Ku-ring-gai community group, EnergyZE North Shore Inc, a member of Ku-ring-gai  Council’s Net Zero Champions, Neighbourhood Watch, a Killara High School volunteer, and was  involved with Ku-ring-gai and Hornsby Councils’ Sustainable Futures Day 2023, and the Lions  Environmental and Sustainable Forum and Awards 2023. Our youngest son plays for Lindfield  Football Club, and I’ve begun playing for Gordon Football Club. I’m also a member of Eryldene  Historic House and Garden, which hosts wonderful twilight jazz events in the garden. 

Places I love in Ku-ring-gai include: 

• the Two Creeks Track, bordering Killara, Lindfield and Roseville, with a short break at the  Echo Marina Café. 

• the many recreational parks and sporting fields Ku-ring-gai has to offer (Bobbin Head Picnic  area, Bert Oldfield Oval and Koola Park); and  

• our iconic Roseville Cinema. 

Can I have a fourth option? If so, it would be to list the many coffee shops between Roseville and  Gordon (both sides of the highway!) I’ve frequented when walking. These café patrons have always  offered a coffee to my friends and me with a welcome smile and water for our dogs. 

Why are you running as a candidate in this election and why should locals vote for you?

I’m a genuine independent running to bring a collaborative approach to meeting residential housing  demands, while respecting Ku-ring-gai’s unique heritage and protecting its precious environment. 

I’m committed to ensuring Council provides the services, efficient, transparent and responsible  decision-making and recreational, sporting and cultural infrastructure which bring communities  together. 

Having lived overseas and hosted exchange students from around the world, I value a vibrant,  diverse and connected community. I also understand the importance of local business driving  employment and lifting prosperity and engaging our LGA to transition to a low carbon future. 

My current employment involves working on an event focusing on smart city innovation, green  infrastructure investment and ensuring our environment and natural resources are protected to  make our cities sustainable and prosperous. We work with the Resilient Cities Network of which Greater Sydney is a member (comprising 33 councils including Ku-ring-gai) and liaise with  representatives from other global cities to learn what is best practice to make cities more resilient,  sustainable and liveable. 

Legally trained, I’m solutions orientated, collaborative, engaged and have experience in bringing  communities together.

Our Ku-ring-gai Living members have told us that rising costs for households is a key election concern for them. How will you advocate on their behalf for policies on this issue?

Rising household costs are a concern for residents and business. Governments at all levels need to  keep costs down, spend money wisely and offer relief where possible.  

For local government, that means it’s important to be fiscally responsible, so rates are maintained at  a manageable level. Energy costs are a major part of our living costs. Our Council currently offers  many rebates to reduce living costs and encourage sustainable living. These include the energy  smart, pool pump, smart unit, smart schools, better business, water smart and bushfire rebates. I encourage all residents to examine these rebates to check if they apply to their situation. I’d  advocate for these rebates to continue and listen to residents about other ways Council could  support them, to help ease the burden. 

For simplicity, I’d advocate for a ‘one stop’ page on Council’s website displaying all federal, state and  local government rebates and grants, with links to the respective sites, and identifying ways our  residents and businesses can reduce their living and operational costs. 

Community group EnergyZE North Shore Inc, which I chair, recently held an event Practical Solutions  to reduce your power bill and carbon footprint. Expert speakers discussed ways to reduce living costs  by implementing small changes over time, such as installing induction stovetops, solar or using  electrified transport. Their presentations can be found on EnergyZE’s website and include graphs to  show the savings made over a period of 15 years by making small changes. 

Local community group Electrifying Bradfield also holds educational talks at Gordon library regularly  for those who are thinking of installing solar and have questions. Likewise, EnergyZE gives webinars  on the economic and environmental benefits of installing solar. 

Given the state government’s recent push for increased housing density, what policies would you implement to balance the need for additional housing with the preservation of our community’s character and amenities? 

I’d encourage examining what is best practice in other Australian and overseas locations to preserve  Ku-ring-gai’s community character and amenities. Bologna, a city of 800,000 people, worked with  the EU on a project promoting its urban regeneration and sustainable development by developing  strategies for a heritage-led future. There are key lessons we could apply to Ku-ring-gai, particularly  the participatory process involving residents, council, state government, architects, planners,  builders and biodiversity experts to develop urban design sympathetic to Ku-ring-gai’s heritage. We  need a collaborative process to ensure an integrated and comprehensive approach, giving  ownership to our Ku-ring-gai community and fostering cohesive sustainable, social and economic  development. 

Are you an Independent or a member of a party and if the latter, which one? Why are you Independent or a member of your political party?

I am an independent and can vote according to my conscience and what is best for Ku-ring-gai, with  no pressure to support a state or federal leader. I have proven experience working with all levels of  government and have constructively engaged with our current federal, state and local members on  different projects. 

If elected, I will work with everyone, regardless of which political party they may identify or align  with, to focus on the issues and aim for beneficial outcomes for our Ku-ring-gai community.

What are the main issues you see as important in the Ku-ring-gai area for this election, and how will you advocate for them?

The uncertainty of the NSW government’s changes to housing policy, their potential impact on Ku ring-gai’s heritage conservation areas and environment, and whether the outcome of increased  density will provide social and affordable housing, has caused friction and division in our community.  We need to adequately protect our heritage and environment and provide a Master Plan for Ku-ring gai where an increase in density is made on better planning principles in consultation with the  community and experts. It is important to understand the drivers of all stakeholders and work out  our commonalities and common purpose, to go forward.  

Local businesses also seek support to enhance customer traffic, reduce running costs, and have  increasing requirements to meet NSW’s net zero targets. There is also a need to protect, maintain  and enhance our public and community spaces to ensure accessibility for all ages, and provide the  required infrastructure to accommodate increased housing. 

In the Gordon Ward where I’m located, the uncertainty of Marian St Theatre’s future with  insufficient funding to support its reconstruction and a DA expiring in 2026, along with the adaption  of Eryldene Historic House and Garden to become more climate resilient are also issues.  

If you could instantly fix just one issue in Ku-ring-gai what would it be?

In one word: Planning. We need to get planning right for Ku-ring-gai so we can preserve the  important, cherished elements of our beautiful region. We need a collaborative approach, engaging  the community including local business, town planners, architects, developers, engineers, and  biodiversity experts. Together we need a master plan we all agree on that delivers for our Ku-ring-gai  community and preserves the area we love. 

Where can the community find out more about you (please add any website/facebook page links, etc)

I encourage Ku-ring-gai residents to contact me about their ideas and issues. More information can be found at sarahwinn.com.au  or  please email me at sarah.winn2024@gmail.com.

Full story here: https://kuringgailiving.com.au/kuringgai-council-election-candidates-2024/