15 March 2023
North Sydney Council deputy mayor Godfrey Santer has launched his campaign as the Labor candidate for the seat of North Shore, saying he is the only “true progressive choice” and comparing his party favourably with the Greens and independents when it comes to who should replace the Liberals.
Speaking at the Kirribilli Hotel, Santer said that when talking with local voters, “what’s been made clear to us is that voters want change and most think that there will be a Labor government after the 25th of March.”
“But are they in this electorate, a traditional Liberal seat, prepared to vote Labor? Our challenge has been to demonstrate to traditional Liberal supporters disillusioned with the performance of that party that we are a viable alternative to Liberals and we have the right policies, not just to demonstrate that viability, but to show that we could and would improve their lives. What are the concerns? What’s the government’s record? Well, we all know about the cost of living, how it’s going up and how it’s rising rapidly.”
“Wages are stagnant. The price of housing and rents are going through the roof. There are no cause terminations of rental agreements, health and education workers can’t afford to live here where they work. And health and education are the two primary industries of this area.”
He lamented the lack of planning controls on residential developments has led to non-inclusion of infrastructure, inadequate public space and amenities such as schools and shops, exclusion of affordable housing and overshadowing of current residents properties.
“We’ve got privatisation, buses, ferries, maybe one day even the metro. We’ve all experienced the removal of bus routes, the non arriving buses and ferries and the long wait for the next bus thanks now to the departure of overworked and underpaid bus drivers who get $5 an hour more driving a garbage truck now they’re under these private contracts as bus drivers.”
Santer added: “After 12 years of government they’re tired and they’re panicking with last minute promises like the high line down near Wendy Whiteley Park, North Sydney Sydney Oval. In the last few weeks they’ve made promises they’ve had 12 years to deliver on and failed to do so.”
Commenting on his other rivals, he said of the independents: “Many if not most of their promises, for example on the environment, are taken straight from our party’s manifesto. Imitation is a sincere form of flattery, but there’s one thing they’ll never be able to or have to implement, and that’s the actual delivery of policy in government.”
Of the Greens, he said: “To all those who would question our environmental credentials, I would point out that we are the only political entity which in government has introduced an effective carbon pricing scheme, which also in its first incarnation was voted down by a party which claims to have protection of the environment and meaningful action against climate change as its reason for being.”
Santer said that Labor’s plan for the environment and climate change is “the only one which covers off all these issues.”
“And we’re the only party which can ensure they’re implemented in government rather than shouting from afar on the cross bench,” he said.