Running as the Greens Lord Mayoral candidate for Wollongong City Council without the experience of having served as a councillor will be a "challenge", Jess Whittaker said.
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Ms Whittaker is running for the top job and also for a Ward 1 councillor spot. She previously ran for a position in 2021 but wasn't successful.
Still, when it came to the issue of experience, Ms Whittaker looked south to Shellharbour Council.
"It might be a challenge but I've never shied away from a challenge," Ms Whittaker said at the Greens' candidate launch.
"I think we've seen in Shellharbour we've had a first-time Mayor who's never been a councillor and it's been very successful.
"I'm someone who likes to have a go. I have really strong community values and I think as long as I represent what people are asking and stay connected to the community then I can get the job done."
Gordon Bradbery, an independent, has held the Lord Mayoral role since 2011. Ms Whittaker praised the "integrity" of Cr Bradbery but felt "we're ready for some new ideas and a fresh approach to council".
One thing she hoped didn't change was the balance of candidates; currently no single party holds a majority of votes.
"I think the last council operated really well because there was no one block who was in control," she said.
"Decisions had been made collaboratively and I think that's the best way to work. I'm a great collaborator and I hope the next council has a good balance rather than a big block of one party."
Also running for the Greens in September are Deidre Stuart (Ward 3) and Kit Docker (Ward 2).
The three candidates will be hoping to replace incumbents Mithra Cox and Cath Blakely, who both announced they were stepping down.
Ms Stuart said she was new to the Greens and this was the first time she'd run in an election campaign. She decided to run because she found there would be a support network.
"It took me a lot of time to consider because I feel it's very onerous to get involved in something as a volunteer in this kind of way," Ms Stuart said.
"I suppose what buoyed me, I talked to Cath and Mithra and I talked to other people in the Greens. They told me there would be a team that would help me look through documents and help think through things. No-one can be an expert on everything."
Mr Docker had run for the Greens in the state seat of Keira at the 2023 state election and decided to run for a council spot out of a desire to "represent the community".
"One of the things I loved the most, even though obviously didn't end up in parliament, was hearing people's stories," Mr Docker said.
"Hearing the challenges they've been facing and being able to take it to some sort of platform, like the media, and help elevate and promote their voices.
"There are a lot of people in the community, vulnerable people, who are simply not heard. I hope whether I make it on council or not that I can promote and elevate the concerns of those most vulnerable in our community."
Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
