The Bondi Local Takes on the Title of Wentworth

The Bondi Local Takes on the Title of Wentworth

 

Deputy Mayor of Waverly Council, Dominic Wy Kanak has been selected by The Greens as the candidate for the Wentworth electorate after a by-election was announced for the seat.

The Greens officially launched Councillor Wy Kanak’s campaign for the seat of Wentworth in August during the leadership spill which saw former Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull resign from parliament. Following from Mr Turnbull’s resignation, a by-election for the seat has been announced for October 20.

Cr Wy Kanak’s campaign is focussed around the matters of social justice advocacy, updating metropolitan infrastructure and environmental protection. During the announcement of his campaign in August, Cr Wy Kanak said that Wentworth needed a “fresh start” and that both residents and himself cared about these issues being fixed.

Cr Wy Kanak said: “I know residents here care about action on climate change, Aboriginal justice and tackling the excessive power corporate interests have on national policy,” he said.

“While coal and fossil fuel companies call the shots in federal parliament, we are in the grip of a terrible drought and unprecedented mid-winter bushfires. The Greens, and residents in Wentworth, know these things are connected.

“Our cities are unaffordable, our public schools are over flowing, public transport is in meltdown and politics needs to address these issues, not personal vanities.”

Cr Wy Kanak also addressed the turmoil and alleged corruption that exists within federal parliament.

“The Greens stand for a fairer Australia, for protecting our future and fixing the rigged political system that only seems to serve the interests of big business and the politicians they pay,” Cr Wy Kanak said.

Cr Wy Kanak has been an Indigenous boondiboondi Bondi Ward Waverley Greens Councillor since September 1999 and decided to join The Greens Party as their political philosophy was similar to that of the First Nation cultural ideals.

The Councillor has previously been Co-Chairperson of Waverley the Council’s Multicultural Advisory Committee and Mayor’s Nominee and Chairman of the Eastern Region Local Government Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Forum on behalf of Waverley, Woollahra, Botany Bay, Randwick, Leichhardt, and City of Sydney Councils.

Cr Wy Kanak is also a paralegal and was the Honorary Native Title Consultant (NTC) for the Rockdale and District Landscape Heritage Committee (RDLHC). In the past, the Councillor was the Executive Committee Convenor of the Indigenous Working Group of the United Nations Association of Australia (NSW Branch).

Cr Wy Kanak’s history in Waverly has influenced his campaign to focus on improving public transport, ensuring a protection of the natural environment and establishing a recognition of native aboriginal community history.

The Greens plan to tackle these issues by hindering overdevelopment in the area to ease strain on public transport, embracing new technologies for renewable energy, and supporting aboriginal elders in the community to tackle the issues of youth suicide, drug abuse and deaths in police custody.

Local Bondi Resident, Bianca Wesson said that transport infrastructure was one of the major problems in the Wentworth electorate.

“I mean coming from Bondi-Junction out to Bondi, it’s a complete nightmare and it’s ridiculous for one of the most iconic beaches in the world,” she said.

Ms Wesson also said that the environment was the most important issue within the Wentworth electorate and that The Greens were most likely to solve this problem.

“I think the biggest thing in our area is the environment and plastic, the community tries to do its little bit and not use plastic bags or plastic straws and to re-use our own cups.

“I think we’re very eco in this area so The Greens could stand a serious chance of winning the seat.”

“There’s a big Greens influence here [Bondi] as they want to look after our little neighbourhood.”

“I think he [Cr Wy Kanak] is very well respected within our community, I don’t know how much people will back him when they actually go to the polls but he’s a voice for our area.”

Sam Ligertwood, a local Wentworth resident who currently lives in Vaucluse said that while there were many different political dynamics within the eastern suburbs, The Greens stood a chance in the by-election as their candidate and their views would refresh the political game.

“There’s so many demographics in the Eastern suburbs in general but The Greens are a part of it as they try to keep the natural history within,” she said.

“They are a voice … and I guess no one wants to vote in a big party and obviously the candidate has been a big part of council for a while. With the backflip of liberals just in general within Bondi, we could see a Green come in.

“Malcolm Turnbull has obviously been here for a while so it’ll be very interesting to see which way it goes but there is a big Greens area I know even around the Vaucluse area so I think the Eastern suburbs could swing that way.”

Cr Wy Kanak said that his service to Wentworth as a local councillor advocate for nearly 20 years and the fact that Wentworth currently has 8 local Greens councillors shows the strength of his backing and supports his stand to run and sit in Commonwealth Parliament.

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