Labor names ticket for Hawkesbury City Council elections

The ticket is headed by long-term Councillor and former Mayor, Barry Calvert, who is currently President of the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC).

Cr Calvert is also former Chair of the Community Services Advisory Committee and served two years as the first Labor Mayor of the Hawkesbury, along with two years as Deputy Mayor.

Cr Calvert brings 22 years of experience working on behalf of the community with a commitment to social housing.

Number two on the ticket is Cr Amanda Kotlash, who is the Chair of Council's Environment Committee and a member of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Advisory Committee.

According to the party, Cr Kotash brings knowledge and experience gained from three decades working as an environmental scientist, which have helped her introduce numerous progressive measures to the council.

Third on the ticket is local activist and musician Stuart Gale. A descendant of Hawkesbury's First Nations people, Mr Gale is a long-term and strong advocate for the upgrading and improvement of the Richmond rail service.

He is experienced in public service administration and has coordinated numerous community and fundraising events for local and regional community projects, as well as being an active member of several community groups, including the Rural Fire Service.

Number four on the ticket is Simon Griffin, who has been lobbying strongly to secure better mental health services in the Hawkesbury.

John Dadley will run in fifth place on the ticket. He has a special interest in social justice, being particularly keen to see greater community involvement in local government.

The final place on Labor's card is Vickie Shackley, a Bligh Park resident who wants to see more local employment opportunities for young people.

In announcing their campagin, the group says it wants a more collaborative council that works for the whole community.

They say their aim is that the new council should work toward making the region more resilient to natural disasters through policy, planning and the investigation of progressive and innovative solutions.

They want to continue the initiatives begun by councillors Calvert and Kotlash, including; finding more housing for the homeless, moving towards achieving zero net emissions, further opening up the council to greater community participation, protecting the environment and the semi-rural areas, and implementing strategies to upgrade infrastructure.

The group is also keen to see detached dual occupancies allowed in in rural areas.