Outspoken Port Kembla community advocate and paramedic Jess Whittaker will be the Greens candidate for Wollongong Lord Mayor in the September local government elections.
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The 42-year-old mum of two nominated affordable housing and active transport as the two priorities for council, if she dons the Lord Mayoral robes.
"It's time for a fresh approach to how our city council operates," Ms Whittaker said.
Ms Whittaker said in the midst of a housing crisis it was time for Council to take on a more active role in addressing housing affordability, such as collecting windfall profits where upzoning occurs and including social and affordable housing as part of planning agreements.
Around the corner from where Ms Whittaker lives, the former Port Kembla public school site has been rezoned with five per cent affordable housing, however Ms Whittaker said future developments of a similar size should include a much higher proportion.
"At the moment, it's basically crumbs," she said.
"Considering the large profits that developers are making, it's quite shocking that wasn't able to be 10 or 20 per cent."
A week ago, Wollongong councillors resolved to push back on some changes to height restrictions around stations and town centres that have been proposed by the NSW government. Ms Whittaker said increasing supply, without stipulating that units be set aside as social or affordable housing, would do little to address soaring rents and house prices.
"Having people near transport hubs is something the Greens support, because it reduces cars on the road, we just have to make sure that there's trains on the train lines."
The keen cyclist and cycling advocate has often been at the forefront of calling for improved pedestrian and cycling links and Ms Whittaker said work should commence on linking paths surrounding Lake Illawarra.
"I want to be able to see people not being trapped in their homes and able to get about the community freely without being fearful of cars," she said. "Safe routes to school, access for the disabled, we'll really focusing on getting all those upgrades happening around the city, building on the work that the last council has done."
The upcoming elections will not be the first tilt at council for Ms Whittaker, who was the lead Greens candidate for Ward 3 in 2021, but fell short of securing a seat on council. This time around, in addition to standing for Mayor, Ms Whittaker will be running in Ward 1, which covers the northern suburbs, including Bulli, where she grew up.
Without the COVID restrictions that were in place during 2021, 2024 is shaping up to be a very different contest.
"We weren't allowed to door-knock, we couldn't have how to vote cards, we would have candidate forums where no one would turn up because everyone was terrified for COVID."
"I feel like that was a bit of a training ground and I'm more confident now and I have an idea of how you win a campaign which is to get out and talk to as many people as you can.
"Listen to people and then things they are telling you, put those ideas forward and fight for them."
