CANDIDATE PROFILE: Sacha Blumen

BY DAN BISHTON

Sacha Blumen is a mathematician and Elizabeth Bay resident running as a Labor candidate this September. Originally a Brisbane local, he developed a political interest as he observed Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen led initiatives with dismay.
‘Growing up in Queensland when Joh was Premier, you were always aware that things weren’t right in Queensland,’ he says.
‘The Government was very bad in terms of civil liberties.’
Dr Blumen moved to Sydney in 2000 while completing his PhD in mathematics and, rekindling his involvement in political issues, joined and went on to become president of the 2011 Resident’s Association, a group of East Sydney residents who meet to discuss the challenges unique to their locality.
‘Impact of licensed premises is a big thing in Kings Cross,’ he says. ‘Noise impact, alcohol related violence, even things like broken bottles in the streets.’
Dr Blumen wants to see a deeper level of community consultation for Council actions. He saw the proposed sale of the Reginald Murphy Activity Centre in Kings Cross as an example of Council’s problematic ‘top-down’ method of consultation.
‘It took a real community campaign to stop that. We had a public meeting with about a hundred people ‘ it became a big issue in the local area,’ he says.
‘It’s like decisions have already been made by Council and then they just run with it. I think that if you get some of the processes for developing policy down properly, you’ll come out of it with better policies.’
When it comes to wider issues facing inner Sydney’s residents, Dr Blumen flags reliable public transport, a managed parking policy throughout the city and broadening the reach of social welfare as key issues.