Lies! Lord Mayor Clover Moore Heckled After Claiming Sydney’s Laneways, Bars Better Than Melbourne

By Jack Nivison

Sydney’s long-serving Lord Mayor Clover Moore faced criticism from both the floor and the stage during the Rainbow Precinct Mayoral Candidates Forum held at the National Art School on Tuesday night. 

The mayor of Sydney, who is running her fifth re-election campaign, appeared at the event to spruce up her council’s handling of developments on Oxford Street. 

Moore has introduced a number of controversial plans to re-invigorate the space which is largely considered to be the LGBTQIA+ capital of Australia, and the critics of her policies made themselves known over the course of the two-hour town hall. 

Clover Moore Called Out

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore heckled by audience members at Rainbow Precinct Mayoral Candidates Forum on Tuesday August 27, 2024. pic.twitter.com/lQqi9pDn8g

— City Hub Sydney (@CityHubSydney) August 28, 2024

One particular moment saw Moore compare Sydney’s nightlife to that of Melbourne. Moore pointed out that Sydney’s infamous lockout laws followed by the COVID lockdowns had impacted the “hospitality industry, music industry, and people’s social lives”. 

“We’re just coming out of that and recovering. The work we’ve done in laneways and small bars had really put us in front of Melbourne, so some said,” Moore explained. 

This comment resulted in a cacophony of heckles from the crowd, which forced Moore to wait until the moderator, Melissa Hoyer, told them to settle down. “You’ll get your turn, don’t worry, there will be questions soon,” Hoyer could be heard saying in an effort to quieten the crowd. 

Moore insisted, “It’s true!”. Some in the crowd responded “Lies!”

Moore Baks Bike Lanes Decision

Moore faced vocal criticism from the floor on numerous other occasions during the evening, particularly when speaking favourably about the council’s decision to install a bike lane on the Western side of Oxford Street. 

“Cycling is a healthy, cheap, and inclusive way to travel and most importantly for the city it reduces emissions,” she said. 

Fed up with the disruptions, Moore directly addressed some of the hecklers. 

“I know you don’t support taking action on climate change, but the city does,” she said, speaking directly to the crowd. 

Moore also faced direct criticism from the floor, and was seen exchanging stern words with Yvonne Weldon, the candidate from Alexandria. 

As the first Indigenous Councillor in the City of Sydney, Yvonne is a vocal critic of Clover Moore’s management of the city. 

“Parts of the city are in a sad state, and that’s happened over many years under Clover’s Watch,” she said during her opening two minutes last night. 

“Too many of us aren’t being heard,” added Weldon.