Meet The Candidate For Lord Mayor of Sydney: Yvonne Weldon

As Sydney gears up for the upcoming Lord Mayor election, several candidates are eager to bring fresh perspectives and changes to the city’s administration.

The city has not seen a new mayor since Clover Moore’s successful run in 2004, making the upcoming election a highly anticipated contest. 

One candidate is Yvonne Weldon, who is running as an independent for the City of Sydney Council in the 2024 New South Wales Local Elections.

Who is Yvonne Weldon?

Yvonne Weldon was elected as the City of Sydney’s first Aboriginal councillor in the City of Sydney’s 180-year history in 2021. 

Born and raised in inner Sydney, Weldon has strong ties to the local community.

Weldon was motivated to run for Council to ensure that local government truly represents all community members, giving a voice to those who have been historically marginalised and driving meaningful change. 

In her first term, she has advocated for increased affordable and social housing, and improved accessibility in streets and public spaces. Weldon has also pushed for greater support for community and domestic violence issues, and greater recognition of First Nations culture. 

She follows a proud legacy of activism in her family, including her great-aunt Mum Shirl and her uncle Paul Coe, a prominent Aboriginal rights campaigner. Her family also played a key role in founding the Aboriginal Children’s Service, Aboriginal Medical Service, and Aboriginal Legal Service in Redfern.

This year, she is leading a team of independent candidates and running to be Sydney’s next Mayor.

Yvonne Weldon’s Policies

Weldon’s policies aim to enhance affordable housing,  improve community engagement, and create a fairer, safer, and healthier Sydney. 

If elected, she pledges to:

• Work with the NSW Government to approve more housing and require major developments to include affordable rental housing built on-site.
• Double the City’s Affordable Housing Fund to provide more homes for young people, essential workers, creatives, and domestic violence survivors.
• Explore new models for affordable housing, including repurposing existing buildings.

Weldon’s plans for reviving Sydney’s nightlife and Oxford Street include:

• Expanding late nighttime trading and cutting red tape for creative and cultural endeavours.
• Incentivising mixed-use development and investing in community infrastructure.
• Showcasing Oxford Street’s queer character and history.

Weldon also commits to tackling climate change by: 

• Aggressively electrifying Council operations
• Offering a rates rebate for residents and businesses that install solar panels or switch to green power.
• Implementing organic food waste collection across the entire local government area.
• Incentivising the use of less carbon-intensive products, materials, and services.

Prior to her election to council, Weldon held numerous senior positions in NSW Government,  and community organisations working across health, human services, housing, and child protection. 

She has served as the elected Chair of the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council, Deputy Chair of the NSW Australia Day Council, and as a Board member of Domestic Violence NSW and Redfern Jarjum College.

Weldon was recognised as NSW Aboriginal Woman of the Year in 2022 and appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for her service to the Aboriginal community.  

Sydney’s council and mayoral elections take place on Saturday, September 14, 2024. For more information on candidates and the election process, click here.