City of Adelaide supplementary election – Get to know the candidates

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A supplementary election is being held in order to fill the vacancies of Councillors for Central Ward for the City of Adelaide.

As a key representative voice of local business, hospitality, tourism, education & cultural organisations, residents & community in the West End, the Adelaide West End Association (AWEA) is committed to ensuring our community is informed and engaged in the future of our precinct. To that end, we have prepared a series of key questions for all Central Ward nominees, focused on the priorities and opportunities facing the West End.

Candidates were invited to provide a maximum 200-word response to each of the five questions below.

Candidate Questions:

  1. The West End broadly is a hub for education, health, arts, and culture. What specific policies will you advocate for to foster stronger collaboration between these sectors and ensure the West End continues to attract and retain creative talent, students, and professionals?
  2. The Hindley Street upgrade project aims to revitalize a key main street in the West End that is half of the city’s main commercial artery in length. Beyond its completion, what are your ongoing strategies to ensure the upgraded Hindley Street truly becomes a safer, more vibrant, and economically beneficial space for businesses, residents, and visitors, particularly concerning its nighttime economy?
  3. The Light Square Master Plan outlines significant improvements for this important public space. How will you prioritize and ensure the effective and timely implementation of this master plan to create a more inviting, functional, and well-utilized community asset for West End residents and the broader city?
  4. The West End boasts a unique laneway culture and vibrant nightlife. How do you plan to support existing small businesses, encourage new and diverse ventures, and enhance the safety and appeal of these spaces for both residents and visitors, especially during evening hours?
  5. The West End’s skyline is evolving. How will you balance the need for new development with the preservation of the area’s distinct character and ensure that growth benefits existing communities including businesses?

Responses are published below, in the same order as the candidate names appear on the ballot paper. Responses were not received from Hugo SIU, Frederick BROHIER, Glenn BAIN, Hamish MACLACHLAN, and Raymond KHABBAZ.

Full profiles for each of the 19 candidates can be found on the Electoral Commission website:

https://www.ecsa.sa.gov.au/2025-adelaide-central

Voting closes 12 noon, Monday 25 August 2025. Your vote IS important.

  1. The West End broadly is a hub for education, health, arts, and culture. What specific policies will you advocate for to foster stronger collaboration between these sectors and ensure the West End continues to attract and retain creative talent, students, and professionals?
    I would support strategic partnerships between the key stakeholders (universities, cultural institutions, and local businesses). I will also support coordinated events, student-led innovation showcases, and creative industry pilots that help retain emerging talent.
  2. The Hindley Street upgrade project aims to revitalise a key main street in the West End that is half of the city’s main commercial artery in length. Beyond its completion, what are your ongoing strategies to ensure the upgraded Hindley Street truly becomes a safer, more vibrant, and economically beneficial space for businesses, residents, and visitors, particularly concerning its nighttime economy?
    I support sensible safety upgrades like smart lighting, Home Zone services, and better coordination with SAPOL. Hindley street could also benefit from a mix of small-scale events and live performance activations, which will help maintain momentum and make it a destination, not a concern.
  3. The Light Square Master Plan outlines significant improvements for this important public space. How will you prioritise and ensure the effective and timely implementation of this master plan to create a more inviting, functional, and well-utilised community asset for West End residents and the broader city?
    Light Square is an important part of the city that needs to be safe and well-used. I would prioritise continuous consultation and ensure the Master Plan is delivered in stages (focusing on upgrades that especially support public safety).
  4. The West End boasts a unique laneway culture and vibrant nightlife. How do you plan to support existing small businesses, encourage new and diverse ventures, and enhance the safety and appeal of these spaces for both residents and visitors, especially during evening hours?
    Safety and anti-social behaviour have been the major concerns of the West End area. To support small and diverse ventures, I’ll push for outdoor dining fee relief, and improved lighting and CCTV in key laneway corridors. I will work to establish better late-night transport options that make visiting safer and easier.
  5. The West End’s skyline is evolving. How will you balance the need for new development with the preservation of the area’s distinct character and ensure that growth benefits existing communities, including businesses?
    I support smart growth that is well consulted with the local stakeholders. I will advocate for detailed design reviews, community input on projects, and public benefit tests for developments.
  1. The West End broadly is a hub for education, health, arts, and culture. What specific policies will you advocate for to foster stronger collaboration between these sectors and ensure the West End continues to attract and retain creative talent, students, and professionals?
    The elephant in the room here is student accommodation.

    It requires a shift in design ideology away from the current developer preferences in Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA). The recently announced development at 188 North Terrace is a prime example of PBSA not being done well. It is a case of right location, wrong building. Students do not come to Adelaide to live in a self-contained building. They come to Adelaide to live in Adelaide. We should be constructing neighbourhoods instead of all-inclusive boxes that encourage the isolation of the population from the surrounding business and culture. It is anti-community and anti-business.

    I was the Strategy Director with the Save The Cranker campaign in 2024. I successfully built a coalition of historically unlikely bedfellows – Liberals, Greens, Independents, patrons, local residents, adjacent local businesses, and finally the government – and advocated for an integrated design philosophy of a student accommodation which enhances the existing cultural and economic ecosystem of the Crown and Anchor and East End, rather than killing the vibe.

    It is possible.

    When done well, a vibrant education arts, culture, entertainment, and professional services precinct should be immediately benefitted by a nearby long-term rotating population of 18-24 year olds.
  2. The Hindley Street upgrade project aims to revitalize a key main street in the West End that is half of the city’s main commercial artery in length. Beyond its completion, what are your ongoing strategies to ensure the upgraded Hindley Street truly becomes a safer, more vibrant, and economically beneficial space for businesses, residents, and visitors, particularly concerning its nighttime economy?
    When accessibility is increased (ingress and egress) a place becomes more attractive and more people will frequent the area – exactly what we want for our nighttime economy.

    To this end, I will be advocating an immediate review the number, timing, and placement of passenger loading zones to better reflect the increased public use of rideshare transport options such as Uber over taxis. The point-to-point transport industry has changed significantly since this was last reviewed. Nearly twice as many Australians take Uber trips than those who take taxi trips. Uber use has increased by about 40% since 2019, while taxi use has decreased by about 13% (Roy Morgan, 2025).

    When most of the public transport options end around midnight, the only remaining viable mode of transport home over a distance (besides private vehicle) is a rideshare or a taxi. A taxi can pick up or drop off in a taxi zone or a passenger loading zone, but an Uber et al. can only pick up or drop off in a passenger loading zone.

    While this will benefit the whole city, it will specifically benefit Hindley Street. At present, there are just three passenger loading zones locations, and about 30 taxi zones.

    The Hindley Street Revitalisation project’s Concept Design does not include any taxi or passenger loading zones. It does mention “Hotel Parking: Space to facilitate coach bus parking, taxi & ride share pick-up & drop-off points for hotel guests” amounting to a total of six spots, all on the southern side of the street. Depending on how that is signposted, that is a reduction of 80-100% of total point-to-point transport loading options.

    It also needs to reflect our cultural needs. To further support our city’s entertainment economy I will advocate for expanding the Live Music Loading Zonepilot project. It currently services just fourteen venues, four of which are on Hindley Street. In December 2024, I co-authored a report to the state Minister for Planning regarding the Designated Live Music Venue (DLMV) list which identified 32 existing and 85 potential live music venues in the city. You can read that report on my website com.au. Delivering Live Music Loading Zones to all venues on the DLMV list supports our credibility as Australia’s only UNESCO City of Music. My recommendation to the Minister includes the addition of at least one more Hindley Street venue to this list.

    The Hindley Street Revitalisation Project’s Concept Design does not include any Live Music Loading Zones: a reduction of 100%.

    These are terminal oversights and are completely incompatible with the cultural usage and human behaviour in the space. This design philosophy is clearly not serving the public. There is no viable alternative offered either. For example, relocating Hindley Street passenger and taxi loading to Currie Street is incompatible with the need for the Currie Street bus lane.

    Our infrastructure needs to better reflect the needs and the behaviour of the public and business.

    In the same vein, I will also be advocating for increased public transport options. Targeted mass-public transport during known peak times outside the typical 9-5 commute (for example, the Footy Express) is known to work. I have also previously proposed a night-bus loop service as part of the Save The Cranker campaign, connecting the East and West Ends. While the allocation of public transport services sits with the state government, it is the council’s role to advocate for the needs of the city.
  3. The Light Square Master Plan outlines significant improvements for this important public space. How will you prioritize and ensure the effective and timely implementation of this master plan to create a more inviting, functional, and well-utilized community asset for West End residents and the broader city?
    Light Square is already used for several single-day events and festivals, I even worked on one called the Festival of Now. Increasing the amenity of the square to support this kind of activation by including power and water access will be a boon for its use as a community asset.

    In my opinion, Master Plan Option 1 offers the better outcome of the two.

    However, the block currently occupied by the KPark business on the west side appears to be ‘land-locked’ by this design. The car park operation is incompatible with the design but even if this were to be later developed into residential building, or anything else, some form of vehicle access needs to exist. As a bare minimum you need to get a rubbish truck in there once a week, and you’ll need passenger loading access as a matter of disability inclusion. Whether this means an alteration of Ann Street to the rear, or the addition of access off Currie Street to a smaller service road/paved access with load bearing capacity, the plan requires a small amendment to address that.

    In terms of timeliness, this project is already in the final Master Plan design phase. Progressing from here depends on costing and funding availability. It would be irresponsible to promise delivery of an uncosted project, and I don’t think there’s an appetite for another rate increase so soon after the last one to ensure near-term funding availability. I support the project, but it’s responsible to wait for the economic viability results.

    2&3a.   The instructions for this Q&A indicated that a 200-word response would be appropriate, and I am already well over that count. However, there is a further imperative question that you didn’t ask – How can we integrate the Hindley Street Upgrade Project and Light Square Master Plans? Hodge podge planning in isolation never helped anything. We should be planning for the whole. Our city is an ecosystem, not a series of insulated precincts and projects.

    Consider that despite the pavement space reduction, the reprofiling of Morphett Street results in a significantly simpler intersection with Currie Street which will make the flow of traffic more efficient. It also notes that the project team is considering whether it is feasible to introduce west-east through traffic along Waymouth Street at the southern intersection, which will further simplify the design. The typical nighttime queued traffic capacity of Morphett Street through Light Square will now be significantly decreased by Master Plan option 1 due to the 22% pavement reduction, particularly if the final plan includes a reduction in lanes.

    However, the demand for this queue will not be decreased by the current Hindley Street upgrade. With no included passenger loading options, it will simply increase the frequency of unsafe road use behaviours and increase the traffic issues as every rideshare and taxi fights for just six point-to-point passenger loading zones. This is already known transport issue for the UniSA Campus, West Oak, Rockford, and Jive in the western side of Hindley Street where this design ideology has already been applied.

    We need an integrated solution that considers the needs of the spaces. The Light Square Master Plan option 1 could instead be paired with an alternative Hindley Street Revitalisation concept: a west-to-east one-way Hindley Street.

    This will eliminate all south-bound traffic off Hindley Street onto Morphett and through Light Square. There is both north and south access when exiting the east end of Hindley Street. Hindley Street can’t run one-way east-to-west because there isn’t access to turn west when heading south on King William, and nor should there be due to the proximity to the tram stop. A night/weekend right turn from King William Street onto Currie Street, with a traffic arrow, should be considered to further compliment the change to Hindley Street, otherwise all traffic exiting Hindley that wants to head west will be funnelled down North Terrace. A right turn at King William/Currie creates a second way for vehicles to head west. Synchronised wave traffic light sequences for the North, Hindley, Currie, King William, and Morphett Streets block will further assist with traffic flow. One-way travel eliminates the dangerous occurrences of U-turns by rideshares and taxis, making the street safer, and eliminating this traffic flow impedance. Building access and commercial loading access along Hindley Street by car and small truck during the day is maintained. Being a nighttime entertainment economy, the general need for a customer to park a private car right out the front of a business is significantly lower than somewhere such as Hutt Street, so there is a lower risk of negative impact. The increased and more appropriate accessibility by alternative transport options makes up for this, by reallocating the number of taxi zones and passenger loading zones, particularly when timed at night. The net result is a near elimination of private vehicles looping around in a fruitless search for a free on-street park. A design that operates as one active lane on the right (south) and one parking/loading/point-to-point passenger loading lane on the left (north) is about a 50% road pavement reduction without the need for parking bays to cut into the footpath space per the current concept design. This would mean that a further and consistent widening of footpaths is possible, for safer pedestrian traffic and increased capacity for exciting business activation such as outside dining, busking, and other things that add to the vibrancy of the space. It even adds capacity for the mundane but integral components of the night ecosystem such as queuing for entertainment venues.

    This is just one alternative design possibility for Hindley Street. What is important is that this design was created with the entire ecosystem in mind. The point of this exercise is a demonstration of an integrated design philosophy.

    We need less ideologically informed design practices. An integrated design philosophy to better meets the needs of the residents, visitors, and businesses is what we need more of in Town Hall. This is what I offer as your elected member.

  4. The West End boasts a unique laneway culture and vibrant nightlife. How do you plan to support existing small businesses, encourage new and diverse ventures, and enhance the safety and appeal of these spaces for both residents and visitors, especially during evening hours?
    These laneways have already been successful because you, the business operators, know what you’re doing. If something is working, and it’s safe, the only thing the council should be doing is getting out of the way.I am going to steal some word count back here: I plan to support them when things need improvement by applying the same principles discussed in my responses to Qs 2 and 3: Integrated design philosophy, accessible transport options, and accommodation of human behaviour.
  5. The West End’s skyline is evolving. How will you balance the need for new development with the preservation of the area’s distinct character and ensure that growth benefits existing communities including businesses?
    Developers are attracted to the West End to leverage existing vibrancy and cultural value to help sell their development. Poorly balanced planning policy and regulation means the practical effect of this is to undermine that value. The living cultural vibrancy is subsumed by characterless high-rise buildings.This specific development approach is erroneously called ‘borrowed value’.When something is borrowed, it is normally returned. In these cases, the value and vibrancy are never returned. The value is stolen.Many developers seek to use the adaptive reuse principle in the first instance. Continuing use should be a priority, so place purpose is respected and maintained where possible. The Cranker development is a recent case in point.High density high-rise development does have a place in Adelaide’s future, but without integrated design excellence it is incompatible with the cultural purposes of our heritage and entertainment areas. The West End holds the greatest potential, instead, for medium-high density terrace and apartment living to sustain the hospitality economy and the jobs that help families realise their aspirations for a good life. These developments are of a complementary value to the existing vibrancy of our city in these areas, rather than borrowing or stealing it.
  1. The West End broadly is a hub for education, health, arts, and culture. What specific policies will you advocate for to foster stronger collaboration between these sectors and ensure the West End continues to attract and retain creative talent, students, and professionals?
    The West End’s mix of institutions, venues, and creative industries is one of Adelaide’s greatest assets. I will advocate for a precinct-wide engagement strategy that fosters collaboration between education providers, cultural organisations, and the hospitality sector. This includes better alignment on events, internships for students in local businesses, co-branded cultural activations, and stronger industry connections with health and tech research precincts. Council should also co-invest in marketing campaigns that position the West End as a magnet for talent, creativity, and cultural exploration.
  2. The Hindley Street upgrade project aims to revitalize a key main street in the West End that is half of the city’s main commercial artery in length. Beyond its completion, what are your ongoing strategies to ensure the upgraded Hindley Street truly becomes a safer, more vibrant, and economically beneficial space for businesses, residents, and visitors, particularly concerning its nighttime economy?
    The physical upgrade is only the start. I’ll champion a long-term activation plan with increased funding for public art, live music, lighting, and consistent street presence. Safety, vibrancy, and economic return go hand in hand, so I’d push for expanded outreach services at night, incentives for responsible hospitality operations, and better coordination with SAPOL. Smart lighting, clear signage, and community partnerships are essential. Council must continue supporting traders not just through infrastructure, but with foot traffic and atmosphere.
  3. The Light Square Master Plan outlines significant improvements for this important public space. How will you prioritize and ensure the effective and timely implementation of this master plan to create a more inviting, functional, and well-utilized community asset for West End residents and the broader city?
    Light Square has enormous potential to become a key civic gathering space. If elected, I will prioritise its timely and staged implementation by advocating for clear timelines, transparent reporting, and budget protection. The West End deserves delivery, not delay. I’ll also push to ensure activation is part of the rollout, including events, night markets, and pop-up initiatives that bring life to the space immediately while longer-term works progress. Community feedback and accountability will be key to ensuring it delivers on its promise.
  4. The West End boasts a unique laneway culture and vibrant nightlife. How do you plan to support existing small businesses, encourage new and diverse ventures, and enhance the safety and appeal of these spaces for both residents and visitors, especially during evening hours?
    The West End’s laneways are not just trendy, they’re deeply woven into the character of the precinct. I will support simplified permitting for small business activations, pop-ups, and outdoor dining. Council should provide grants for lighting and façade upgrades to make these spaces safer and more inviting at night. I’ll also explore initiatives to reduce antisocial behaviour without over-policing, through smart design, stronger outreach services, and programming that keeps the laneways active and community-driven after dark.
  5. The West End’s skyline is evolving. How will you balance the need for new development with the preservation of the area’s distinct character and ensure that growth benefits existing communities including businesses?
    Good development and character protection are not opposites, they’re both essential. I’ll advocate for a design-led approach where new buildings respond to the scale and feel of surrounding streets. Council must enforce design standards that respect the West End’s unique identity while supporting development that brings people, investment, and jobs. I’ll also push for meaningful community consultation before large-scale proposals proceed. Growth must serve the people who are already here, not push them out.
  1. The West End broadly is a hub for education, health, arts, and culture. What specific policies will you advocate for to foster stronger collaboration between these sectors and ensure the West End continues to attract and retain creative talent, students, and professionals?
    Renew has made significant efforts to crate opportunities for exactly these kinds of creative enterprises; with increased funding from Council through AEDA, they stand to become more effective. There is growing interest across the city in Business Improvement Districts (similar to Rundle Mall) which carry a small nominal levy for use in direct investment in that precinct. I am very open to trialling or implementing such districts where there is support to help provide area-specific improvements.
  2. The Hindley Street upgrade project aims to revitalize a key main street in the West End that is half of the city’s main commercial artery in length. Beyond its completion, what are your ongoing strategies to ensure the upgraded Hindley Street truly becomes a safer, more vibrant, and economically beneficial space for businesses, residents, and visitors, particularly concerning its nighttime economy?
    About 20 years ago Hindley St had a dedicated precinct coordinator within council who helped curate the tenancies, encouraging a variety of offerings and reasons to visit the street. Certainly since that role was abolished the street has diminished in diversity, relying heavily on the night-time economy and amenities which tend to operate at similar hours. I understand some businesses in the West End support a Business Improvement District (BID) model similar to Rundle Mall with a precint-specific levy for direct investment. I am very open to supporting this if it provides the precinct certainity and agency in developing the area.
  3. The Light Square Master Plan outlines significant improvements for this important public space. How will you prioritize and ensure the effective and timely implementation of this master plan to create a more inviting, functional, and well-utilized community asset for West End residents and the broader city?
    I seconded Carmel Noon’s motion to progress a masterplan process back in 2023 and recognise this was an initiative from within the West End community itself. My hope for the masterplan process was for the identification of different implementation stages so that incremental changes could be made over time, ensuring the City can afford to deliver it with or without State funding support. I also supported the expediting of the power upgrades to the Square to allow a more immediate improvement to the type of events that can be delivered there. My intenton would be begin budgeting aspects of the Masterplan so that it can be delivered in stages.
  4. The West End boasts a unique laneway culture and vibrant nightlife. How do you plan to support existing small businesses, encourage new and diverse ventures, and enhance the safety and appeal of these spaces for both residents and visitors, especially during evening hours?
    Funding actions under Night Time Economy Strategy and developing a program under City of Music, with funding, to support venues which host live music. City and State Cultural Strategies also give guidance on bolstering new and existing businesses. We are starting to see some enterprises which combine day and night time operations in one ite, which ensures diversity and extends the body clock of hte precinct. It would be an easy-to-implement initiative, in tandem with a precinct coordinator role, to provide opportunities for such enterprises to move into the West End.
  5. The West End’s skyline is evolving. How will you balance the need for new development with the preservation of the area’s distinct character and ensure that growth benefits existing communities including businesses?
    The list of venues which are supposed to be protected by amendments to the Planning and Development Act (which saved the Cranker) is still yet to be released publicly and pushing for it to be so will be helpful in preserving and consolidating the West End as a live music and cultural district.
  1. The West End broadly is a hub for education, health, arts, and culture. What specific policies will you advocate for to foster stronger collaboration between these sectors and ensure the West End continues to attract and retain creative talent, students, and professionals?
    The West End is where education, health, and culture collide—and it is Council’s most significant growth zone, central to achieving the city’s population target of 50,000. What makes this precinct unique is that these sectors are not just co-located—they’re deeply interconnected. With strategic alignment, we can attract greater investment, foster innovation, and support the retention of students, professionals, and creative talent. With new student accommodation approved, the merger of SA’s two major universities, and the Hindley Street revitalisation underway, the West End will see more change in the next 5–10 years than any other part of the city. To guide this, I will advocate for a precinct-led approach, with the Adelaide West End Association coordinating investment, activation, and planning in partnership with AEDA. This group would explore new funding mechanisms, including a Business Improvement District (BID) or hybrid levy model, to support public realm improvements, cultural programming, and business engagement.

    I will continue to advocate for greater funding and support for all precincts across the city—ensuring every area has the tools to thrive. I’ll also champion a refreshed West End identity that reflects its evolution and future direction. As a local resident, I understand that growth must be aligned with liveability, creativity, and long-term vision.
  2. The Hindley Street upgrade project aims to revitalize a key main street in the West End that is half of the city’s main commercial artery in length. Beyond its completion, what are your ongoing strategies to ensure the upgraded Hindley Street truly becomes a safer, more vibrant, and economically beneficial space for businesses, residents, and visitors, particularly concerning its nighttime economy?
    The success of Hindley Street relies on more than aesthetics—it requires continued investment in safety, governance, and precinct identity. I support appointing a dedicated manager and introducing a Council/AEDA-backed night-time economy strategy, co-designed with traders, SAPOL, and local residents. This must include better lighting, late-night amenity, public transport access, and placemaking. Hindley Street must retain its vibe as an entertainment precinct, but evolve into a true day-and-night destination—where families feel welcome during the day and nightlife thrives at night. Its unique energy should complement, not compete with, other city precincts. To achieve this, I support exploring a BID, levy or hybrid model tailored to Hindley Street, empowering local businesses to co-invest in activation and safety initiatives. It’s also critical that people feel safe walking through Hindley Street to reach Light Square and beyond—a key civic space that offers green, cultural, and family-friendly experiences. Improving this connection will help integrate the West End more effectively and ensure Hindley Street is not just a destination but a welcoming corridor that links people, ideas, and experiences across the city.
  3. The Light Square Master Plan outlines significant improvements for this important public space. How will you prioritize and ensure the effective and timely implementation of this master plan to create a more inviting, functional, and well-utilized community asset for West End residents and the broader city?
    Light Square is one of the City’s most beautiful and historically significant public spaces—yet it remains underused and underdeveloped. I’ve been a vocal and consistent advocate for its revitalisation throughout my term on Council, both publicly and behind the scenes. I proudly chaired the City Planning, Development and Business Affairs Committee (CPDBA) during my tenure and strongly defended the Light Square Master Plan, including addressing a petition that was circulated online through the Adelaide Sect misrepresenting the current stage of the plan—and emphasising the removal of carparks. While the petition attracted a large number of electronic responses—many from the broader Adelaide region—only a small proportion were actual City of Adelaide ratepayers or local residents. To support effective implementation and decision on the model, I was supporting a comprehensive Traffic Management Audit—reported in The Advertiser—to assess movement, safety and how people could better use the space. This data is vital to guide informed decisions and the preferred model presented throughout the community consultation. If re-elected, I will continue to push for timely delivery, transparent implementation, and integration with nearby projects like Hindley Street—to ensure Light Square becomes a safe, welcoming and vibrant space for all.
  4. The West End boasts a unique laneway culture and vibrant nightlife. How do you plan to support existing small businesses, encourage new and diverse ventures, and enhance the safety and appeal of these spaces for both residents and visitors, especially during evening hours?
    I support the West End Precinct group leading a collaboration with AEDA, Council Placemakers, local traders, and property owners to explore a BID or hybrid model. This would provide the structure and investment needed for coordinated improvements—lighting, safety, signage, activations, and branding—tailored to the West End’s unique edge. To support small and emerging businesses, I’ll champion extra funding for Renew Adelaide, flexible leases, and co-marketing opportunities with major festivals. But we must also ensure the West End has its own distinct programming—events that are youthful, multicultural, and reflect the area’s dynamic identity. There is a growing captive market here, and extending applicable annual city events into the West End just makes sense. As a local resident, I also understand the need to balance energy with amenity. I’ll push for evening safety planning and shared space design that keeps laneways safe, inclusive, and well-used at all hours.Done well, our laneways can become a signature feature of the West End’s economic and cultural revival.
  5. The West End’s skyline is evolving. How will you balance the need for new development with the preservation of the area’s distinct character and ensure that growth benefits existing communities including businesses?
    The West End’s skyline is changing—but how we manage that change will define the area’s future. As Chair of the CPDBA Committee over the last 2.5 years, I proudly steered the development of the City of Adelaide’s first City Plan—a strategic, responsible framework to guide growth toward our 50,000 population target over the next decade. But even the best plan is not worth the paper it’s written on without genuine partnership from the State Government. Council’s approval powers only extend to $10 million—far below most developments in this day and age—so we need to advocate for this threshold to increase and the State share responsibility in upholding the plan’s objectives. We cannot allow the West End to be encased in concrete or treated as an easy target to tick housing boxes while preserving liveability in other parts of the city. The West End deserves balanced development—that reflects its identity, respects its community, and responds to the diverse demographics increasingly attracted to live, study, and work in the area. As someone actively representing over 900 West Franklin residents in the ERD Court, I walk the talk. I will continue pushing for design-led, community-informed development that builds not just density—but neighbourhoods’ people are proud to call home.
  1. The West End broadly is a hub for education, health, arts, and culture. What specific policies will you advocate for to foster stronger collaboration between these sectors and ensure the West End continues to attract and retain creative talent, students, and professionals?
    Prefacing my answer is simple and along the line that ‘A thriving community depends on a strong and growing business sector’ – one cannot have one without the other – ‘It’s symbiotic!’ Totally advocate and support collaborative initiatives that support both community and business, however barriers/challenges that impede the support of those businesses within this precinct need to be addressed and removed. Businesses operating within this precinct do not deserve more red-tape/compliance or any additional levies or rates that detract and/or make it unattractive or add to business uncertainty and less confidence. Removing car parks is not the answer, which exacerbates businesses logistics and servicing requirements. Not everyone rides bicycles or e-scooters or travels on public transport. Universities and professional service outlets, which are also businesses do not need additional impediments to operate. You also need on-going specific precinct dialogue whereby as an Elected Member you can provide part of the ‘triage’ and be the conduit into Council.
  2. The Hindley Street upgrade project aims to revitalize a key main street in the West End that is half of the city’s main commercial artery in length. Beyond its completion, what are your ongoing strategies to ensure the upgraded Hindley Street truly becomes a safer, more vibrant, and economically beneficial space for businesses, residents, and visitors, particularly concerning its nighttime economy?
    Both community and business operators night-time economy concerns and matters must be thoroughly addressed, plus there needs to be robust public scrutiny/transparency, leading to well-balanced considerations by ALL stakeholders – e.g. not answering a survey should NOT be taken as not interested or a ‘NO’; Planning, should ensure that it is mandated whereby residents seeking to live within this precinct have a ‘minimum’ of double-glazed windows and noise reduction insulation/material that leads to mitigating noise reduction etc. At the present time the focus discriminates against business owners/operators in an already declared commercial zone linked to the night-time economy. Safety of this precinct is an ‘all-of-community’ challenge – everyone must take responsibility of their own actions. The ‘ownership’ to revitalizing Hindley Street falls on business owners and those community organisations that face the mainstreet and adjoining streets/laneways – local & State governments are there to support and facilitate/address challenges/impediments/issues confronted by those businesses and community organisations
  3. The Light Square Master Plan outlines significant improvements for this important public space. How will you prioritize and ensure the effective and timely implementation of this master plan to create a more inviting, functional, and well-utilized community asset for West End residents and the broader city?
    The Master Plan (Draft Light Square/Wauwi Master Plan) is fundamentally way too ambitious and needs to consider the lack of balance with regards to business growth, opportunities and access, plus raises questions about the real vision and predictability of future trends and outcomes. I would also question the cost and research regarding why Master Plans led by local governments can fail. I would like to know more about the longer term expectations and effects on both business & community. Community isn’t just residents, community organisations, workers, students, artists and professionals, it is everyone’s business, including business itself. There needs to be a lot more effort in demystifying the myths about community engagement. We need to involve all community representatives in consultation and include equal access, not pre-empted or predicated conclusions based on myths.
  4. The West End boasts a unique laneway culture and vibrant nightlife. How do you plan to support existing small businesses, encourage new and diverse ventures, and enhance the safety and appeal of these spaces for both residents and visitors, especially during evening hours?
    Should not be at the expense of losing business created by gobbledygook compliance and red-tape that chokes and stifles business operations pre-determined and implemented by bureaucrats who lack business literacy, no understanding of business disciplines and not connected with evidence. Businesses, particularly those within the hospitality and retail sector businesses should not be subjected to additional ‘outdoor business & dining’ rates or additional levies/rates regarding establishing parklets. Provided community safety including pedestrian and vehicle safety, plus the outdoor & dining street activation meets compliance there should be no charge.
  5. The West End’s skyline is evolving. How will you balance the need for new development with the preservation of the area’s distinct character and ensure that growth benefits existing communities including businesses?
    There needs to be more consistent and reliable communication between policy & development planners, plus the zoning must align with policy. Planning committees need to be USEFUL and serve a real purpose. Transparency of planning matters should be well-resourced to clarify complex processes in ‘simple/coherent’ language, without gobbledygook ‘speak’. Once again provide both community and business the real hard facts of what has worked well, what will work now and expectations into the future based on evidence that actually compares ‘apples with apples’ and contextualised to our City & culture.
  1. The West End broadly is a hub for education, health, arts, and culture. What specific policies will you advocate for to foster stronger collaboration between these sectors and ensure the West End continues to attract and retain creative talent, students, and professionals?
    The West End is a distinct precinct of our city with distinct needs – and nobody knows these needs better than the local businesses that make the west end so vibrant. That’s why I launched my campaign on implementing Special Rate Levy Areas for our main streets. These areas provide dedicated reliable funding for local placemaking and events – under the direction and meaningful control of businesses themselves.
  2. The Hindley Street upgrade project aims to revitalize a key main street in the West End that is half of the city’s main commercial artery in length. Beyond its completion, what are your ongoing strategies to ensure the upgraded Hindley Street truly becomes a safer, more vibrant, and economically beneficial space for businesses, residents, and visitors, particularly concerning its nighttime economy?
    If people don’t feel safe they won’t come out to our city streets. We see a trend of younger people increasingly foregoing nightlife, and thus our night and cultural economy. I am deeply worried by what this trend means for our arts and music scenes and wider economy. I want to work with venues themselves to increase the feeling of patron safety, not by council imposing solutions but by collaboration & cooperation. We know that there is simple, low-hanging fruit like pedestrian lighting and street cleaning that can make a rapid difference – but sustainable solutions require long term outcome focused cooperation.
  3. The Light Square Master Plan outlines significant improvements for this important public space. How will you prioritize and ensure the effective and timely implementation of this master plan to create a more inviting, functional, and well-utilized community asset for West End residents and the broader city?
    I have lived in Adelaide my whole life, and in that time I have seen countless master plans for different parts of our city. Too many of them are tirelessly worked on, cause community concern through consultation, have stage 1 completed and then sit on a shelf gathering dust – Victoria Square being the clearest parallel. Our city plan aims for our CBD’s population doubling in the next generation – this means we need to start working now to make our infrastructure and community amenity ready. Light Square should be the beating heart for our vibrant West End, and we need to get sod turning now.
  4. The West End boasts a unique laneway culture and vibrant nightlife. How do you plan to support existing small businesses, encourage new and diverse ventures, and enhance the safety and appeal of these spaces for both residents and visitors, especially during evening hours?
    Our laneways are an amazing example of how collaboration between businesses can create a destination with a unique identity. This is exactly the sort of collaboration for placemaking I want to see with my Special Rate Levy Area policy. It is the traders of these lanes themselves that know what it will take to make these areas safer and even more more inviting – so let’s give them the structure and the secure funding source to get it done. In the meantime we can help new businesses drive down our vacancy rate by increasing certainty through guaranteed 5 year permits for new venues. Our new ventures are taking a risk, and we want to provide the sort of long term certainty that enables them to make long term investments.
  5. The West End’s skyline is evolving. How will you balance the need for new development with the preservation of the area’s distinct character and ensure that growth benefits existing communities including businesses?
    Certainty is the most important thing for anyone looking to make a long-term decision, whether that be to make somewhere your home or to develop a parcel of land. It is so important that people know in advance what can and can’t happen so they can make informed decisions about their future. I want to see our city’s population increase – more residents means more vibrancy and more customers for local businesses. When we have uncertainty in our system everyone ends up having to spend years in court while nothing at all happens, and that helps no-one. I want a proactive planning system where land management agreements are made and enforced and heritage streetscape is proactively identified and protected so we can get on with building the vibrant city of tomorrow.

  1. The West End broadly is a hub for education, health, arts, and culture. What specific policies will you advocate for to foster stronger collaboration between these sectors and ensure the West End continues to attract and retain creative talent, students, and professionals?

    The Council should properly invest in a business and community Roundtable that can explore collaboration and generate pragmatic and achievable ideas. The council should not pay consultants and “experts” who make these decision far away from our streets and local businesses. Council should rather allocate funds to local groups and bodies that are actually on the street and know what would work better. My idea is simple – get the council and its consultants out of the equation,who we pay handsomely, and redirect this money to group like yours so that actual stakeholders can come up with better solutions and more practical approaches. We spend money on plans, advice and, self-marketing to the public that there is hardly any left for actually doing anything meaningful. So, this is the biggest change I want to see. It is less about policy and more about giving power and money to those who are the affected businesses, residents and other stakeholders.

    If an organisation like yours is taken as a starting point and more individuals and businesses are invited to join in, a good representation of West End would emerge. Your group then chooses a panel of your own members to form an annual committee, for example. This committee interacts and advises the council. The council allocates funds to this committee based on their advice and needs. Instead of council deciding what to spend upon, this local committee should. Instead of advisors saying that we should spend $250,000 for a light square master plan (just the planning document), maybe the committee could have done this in far less or would have chosen to simply spend that money on a better or more pressing concern. Much money gets lost within the council, then some on advisors, and further on self-marketing and PR bytes. We must change this format.

  2. The Hindley Street upgrade project aims to revitalize a key main street in the West End that is half of the city’s main commercial artery in length. Beyond its completion, what are your ongoing strategies to ensure the upgraded Hindley Street truly becomes a safer, more vibrant, and economically beneficial space for businesses, residents, and visitors, particularly concerning its nighttime economy?

    Hindley Street, regardless of opposing forces, remains a special part of the city. It is a rite of passage for the youth. Adult entertainment, as much as many vilify it, is a source of livelihood for many. Hotels, Takeaways, Dingy Bars, Dance Clubs, Strip Clubs, Cinema, Police Station and just across the street, University. Where else would we find such juxtaposition! If Council was not spending so much on doing nothing and marketing their own achievements, we could have done much more. Ripping out the footpaths and repaving them, changing the pedestrian crossing to be more ‘pedestrian-friendly’ and as their plan says ‘decluttering’ – how do any of these increase demand, safety and foot traffic? Instead of structural changes, we always focus on the appearance. $15 million and 5-6 years. Is it the best use of our money? Why not give this money to Hindley Street businesses and ask them how to best spend it! I’m not the expert but I’d rather rely on the people who have known Hindley longer than I have and run business there. Look at Bank St. $10 million+. Does it feel more vibrant, packed with people and outdoor dining venues? Look at the plan that they published about Bank street before its redevelopment. It may have improved the appearance but has it increased business and activity?

    So, my idea is always to let the people come up with solutions. Council’s duty is to lead and communicate, not to take over the money and then become the sole decision-maker. Before spending so much on a vanity upgrade, I’d have asked people about the following possibilities regarding Hindley:

    • 50% rent discount to particular types of new businesses that open in the western end of the street, (opposite movie theatre)
    • Install better lighting and CCTVs along the street and key laneways that can be very dark and uninviting
    • Increase or better plan parking in the arteries that join Hindley to maximise car spaces available at anytime (pretending people will drive less and less is idealistic, not the reality)
    • Funding full canopy along both sides of the street for a better winter experience
    • One-Way traffic and its effects, if it were to happen
    • Buying up a derelict building and opening something that might attract more visitors – art, theatre and performances for young generation
    • A bigger solution would be to form one continuous shopping, dining and entertainment street combining Hindley, Rundle Mall and Rundle street; fully covered on both sides, pedestrian-only, with lots of greenery and sit-down spaces

  3. The Light Square Master Plan outlines significant improvements for this important public space. How will you prioritize and ensure the effective and timely implementation of this master plan to create a more inviting, functional, and well-utilized community asset for West End residents and the broader city?

    I don’t know if the master plan truly addresses the ‘inviting, functional, and well-utilised’ community asset requirement. If an area is not covered, that rules out May till October foot traffic or gatherings or any serious event due to weather. If you look closely, the plan increases 9% greenery by simply removing one of the streets along the square. Also keep in mind, once that street is closed off, the side streets will bear the burden of that traffic.

    If you could choose to spend $5million on Light Sq., would you spend it on more trees within the current square, or on a high canopy/roof along the periphery and in the centre, for year-round usage, or extending the square all the way towards north and close off Currie permanently redirecting traffic around the square for an even larger park? I don’t know.

    Again, I’d let the people who live and operate within that precinct choose and vote upon. Anything we do, someone will lose. Let the people’s voice and businesses decide what they collectively believe is best for them. In this day of apps and social media, we still don’t engage people enough, try to reach a consensus that majority agrees with and then finalise a plan. Plans are made by City Corporation, advisors and developers, and are then sold to us by the Council as the next-generation progress blueprints. What is it that we truly get in the end?

    The primary reason for running in the supplementary election is to expose the slow and ineffective pace of the planning and implementation. Council, let alone a single councillor, have no control. The entire process is controlled by the City Corporation. However, I do promise to reveal how it is working or why is it not working. I’m going in there not as a candidate but as a nobody who has no idea how they spend $250million every year.

    I am also going to be honest with you, I won’t be able to do anything about these issues, even if elected, except to add my voice to the process that already is in motion. I can continue to press the City Corporation for progress update, I can talk and meet with the contractors who are carrying out the work, I can keep you updated through regular communication. More than that, I don’t promise what I cannot deliver.

    Elected councillors lose their compass and aren’t doing what people truly want is the heart of the problem that I want to fix. Next year’s main election will bring that opportunity. This year, I’m running to just inform you and to become your voice. Like other candidates, I can make vague promises, use diplomatic language and commit to things I don’t have complete information about, but I would rather be an honest loser than to be a dishonest pretend-achiever. Next election, I will take on the bigger challenge of reforming the council itself. And no, I’m not going to earn anything except my salary, I promise. I’m doing it for you, for myself and for us. No donation, no indirect business dealings. We need a new, united and publicly-accountable council to face bigger challenges. What we need is not a few councillors who are favourable to our cause but a council that delivers for all.

  4. The West End boasts a unique laneway culture and vibrant nightlife. How do you plan to support existing small businesses, encourage new and diverse ventures, and enhance the safety and appeal of these spaces for both residents and visitors, especially during evening hours?

    Small businesses need a representation and a strategic umbrella that must come from the council itself. It should be operated and managed by the small business community, funded by the council and function as the bridge between the council and the entire array of small businesses, traders and retailers that call our city home. My idea for small businesses is very simple, and should have been done a decade ago. It includes:

    • All small businesses represented through an advisory body at council level, funded to meet and advise – by the Council
    • Developing a common Adelaide Brand that they all can leverage to market themselves and their services
    • An integrated state-wide campaign to promote our businesses
    • This has been thought of before but it never materialises because all money is lost in planning and expert advice. Let the business community do it. The council just needs to fund and facilitate it.

    Also, I would like to consider the plans for:

    • A comprehensive business directory with directions, parking and map for every single business in the city (imagine an app using AI that can suggest every single product, service and experience you are looking for within Adelaide in a single place, providing you directions to the business and the nearest parking. Now imagine if all parking spots in the city were real-time and one could see on the app all empty street-parking, app also showing 1P, 1/2P etc., and the ability to pay for the parking through the app and receiving notification five minutes before your parking ticket expires)
    • A foot traffic-reporting platform for all streets so that all businesses can plan and add or reduce resources based on trends and past foot-traffic data. To make it more legible, we can further integrate a service where businesses can also upload their customer numbers every month to build a numbers predictor (no personal info, just number of people)
    • A annual fully-funded program to support and help new businesses, this will be managed and implemented by the advisory body, not the council – incentive program to assist and partially fund specific types of businesses for key locations, particular streets and areas to develop the product and services mix. They developed AEDA for this. AEDA gets $15million annually. Have you ever heard from AEDA? Have they ever approached the scale and complexity of this problem with the city’s businesses working together strategically?
    • Business Support Office within the council. Right now there is no support, advice or assistance program for a small business at all. I will be proposing a small-business office that can refer people to lawyers, accountants, liquidators, business consultants when they need. Rent, Lease Agreement pitfalls, Hardship clauses etc. cause havoc on many traders and people lose life savings due to lack of information.
    • Maintaining a burglary, theft, petty-crime and vandalism database to inform the police and better manage safety, would also be on my list, for better policing and vigilance

  5. The West End’s skyline is evolving. How will you balance the need for new development with the preservation of the area’s distinct character and ensure that growth benefits existing communities including businesses?

    Development is necessary. Community must benefit by extracting concessions from the developer at the right time is what is missing.
    Here is an idea. How about all new developments are required:

    • To build retail, food or shop space on the ground level!
    • To provide first six months of tenancy without charge or financial obligations.
    • To build canopy on to the street compulsorily.
    • To enable hardship clause inclusion in the lease at a reasonable level for new businesses.
    • To advertise that for any new business, an advisor at the council will look over the business plan, provide advice on the projections and revenue as well as on permits and licences, and help them understand their lease and financial commitments transparently.

    Other ideas I have:

    • A council provided e-platform for businesses and retail community to communicate, engage, vote on matters and hold elected members accountable in real-time, rather than at elections only. Then they go away for four years and use social media to tell us that they are listening.
    • A council provided insurance scheme that businesses can use to safeguard their future if crisis hits.
    • A developer and business joint-venture that can enable a wider branding, packaging and servicing of products to the shoppers and diners.

    As a single councillor, all these sound unachievable. All the people on the council vote as individuals, rather than as a team that shares a vision. Every street, every project, every idea – half of them stand with businesses and the other half with the cyclists, or drivers, or developers or climate faction. In the end, uncertainty, wastage and slow progress defeats the purpose of every project. I won’t change this right away, but I will expose this and bring the city together to make this an issue. My objective is not any promise regarding a particular street, project or development. My objective is to build a community movement that keeps council on its toes.

    Only a third of the people vote. The council pretends that if 38 people responded in a survey, that seems enough to qualify as ‘comprehensive’ feedback. I want to go in there to be an average Adelaide resident and business’ informant. To learn how and what they do and report back to you. To every one of you. And I’ll keep pushing for these changes and aspirations.

    Again, I’ll be truthful here, I do plan to run for Mayor to actually get the council to make these radical changes to our governance. I will give you a cleaner, leaner and more adaptive council. I promise. Not today, not this election, but eventually. I deserve my home city to do better. You deserve it too. I am on a path to do what they all say is unnecessary, according to them all is well and bandaids are enough to keep the dam from breaking. I’m not buying it. I am tired of their well-crafted misrepresentation of truth.

    I am tired of their attitude towards us – the people who pay their million dollar salaries. Every election they say things, then they change their stance, then they blame others for everything that’s wrong, take credit for spending our money, and return to sell the same things to us again. Is the traffic better? Is the productivity increasing, is a person more likely to start a new business? Is the safety and security for women getting better? Is crime rate decreasing? If the rates we pay have increased by 60% in last 10 years, have our services and our city’s streets 60% better?

  1. The West End broadly is a hub for education, health, arts, and culture. What specific policies will you advocate for to foster stronger collaboration between these sectors and ensure the West End continues to attract and retain creative talent, students, and professionals?
    I think more face to face communications are needed to foster better relationships with these sectors and rather than imposing policies, listen to what they need and want because they are the experts in these hubs
  2. The Hindley Street upgrade project aims to revitalize a key main street in the West End that is half of the city’s main commercial artery in length. Beyond its completion, what are your ongoing strategies to ensure the upgraded Hindley Street truly becomes a safer, more vibrant, and economically beneficial space for businesses, residents, and visitors, particularly concerning its nighttime economy?
    Hindley Street certainly needs help and once again I would ask the stakeholders what they think is needed
  3. The Light Square Master Plan outlines significant improvements for this important public space. How will you prioritize and ensure the effective and timely implementation of this master plan to create a more inviting, functional, and well-utilized community asset for West End residents and the broader city?
    I would remove the contentious and unpopular aspects of the master plan so there is buy in by the stakeholders
  4. The West End boasts a unique laneway culture and vibrant nightlife. How do you plan to support existing small businesses, encourage new and diverse ventures, and enhance the safety and appeal of these spaces for both residents and visitors, especially during evening hours?
    make sure the lanes are well lit and clean
  5. The West End’s skyline is evolving. How will you balance the need for new development with the preservation of the area’s distinct character and ensure that growth benefits existing communities including businesses?
    The current development plan is a problem because it is skewed towards inappropriate development and ignores the low scale, historically significant housing stock I would petition the government to make changes
  1. The West End broadly is a hub for education, health, arts, and culture. What specific policies will you advocate for to foster stronger collaboration between these sectors and ensure the West End continues to attract and retain creative talent, students, and professionals?
    If elected, I’ll prioritise meeting with groups like the West End Association to hear directly from local businesses. Real change starts with listening—and I’m committed to making sure their voices shape Council decisions.

    I’ll back the creation of precinct-based Business Leadership Networks so traders can lead local improvements, not just react to them. I also support a city-wide Business Improvement District (BID) to deliver business-led activations, events, and marketing—driven by local insights and real-time data.

    Quick wins matter too. I’ll push to cut red tape, simplify event approvals, and support pop-ups and temporary activations that bring life to our streets.

    It’s about building a city that works with business, not against it.
  2. The Hindley Street upgrade project aims to revitalize a key main street in the West End that is half of the city’s main commercial artery in length. Beyond its completion, what are your ongoing strategies to ensure the upgraded Hindley Street truly becomes a safer, more vibrant, and economically beneficial space for businesses, residents, and visitors, particularly concerning its nighttime economy?
    The West End is bursting with potential—and it’s time we brought that energy to life with events that truly reflect its unique character. While Illuminate and Fringe light up the East End, the West deserves its own bold, creative identity—showcasing its arts, music, nightlife, and street culture.

    If elected, I’ll champion activations that celebrate what makes the West End tick—live music, pop-up galleries, food, drink, and collaborations with local artists, venues, and businesses. Whether it’s a spring festival, night market, or something completely new, it should be distinctly West End—vibrant, gritty, and local.

    I’ll cut red tape to make it easier for traders and community groups to bring ideas to life, with simpler approvals and more support for grassroots initiatives. The goal? A precinct buzzing with energy, attracting locals and visitors alike.

    This is about more than events—it’s about bringing the West End back to life, together. I’d be proud to work with groups like the West End Association to build something that’s not just another festival, but a signature experience the city looks forward to every year.
  3. The Light Square Master Plan outlines significant improvements for this important public space. How will you prioritize and ensure the effective and timely implementation of this master plan to create a more inviting, functional, and well-utilized community asset for West End residents and the broader city?
    Light Square is a vital public space in the West End, and its revitalisation through the Master Plan is a great opportunity to create a welcoming, safe, and functional community asset. If elected, I’ll advocate for timely implementation by ensuring it’s prioritised in Council’s capital works planning and funded appropriately.

    Equally important is engaging residents, traders, and community groups throughout the process to make sure the upgrades meet local needs. That means balancing improved public amenity with sensible traffic outcomes—ensuring access for deliveries, safe movement for pedestrians and cyclists, and maintaining parking where appropriate.

    I’ll work to ensure the space supports diverse uses: daytime activity like markets or outdoor dining, and safe, well-lit areas that encourage evening vibrancy. Activations tied to the arts, culture, and hospitality sectors can help bring life to the square while supporting nearby businesses.
  4. The West End boasts a unique laneway culture and vibrant nightlife. How do you plan to support existing small businesses, encourage new and diverse ventures, and enhance the safety and appeal of these spaces for both residents and visitors, especially during evening hours?
    The West End’s laneways and nightlife are a huge asset—and we need to back the businesses that bring them to life. If elected, I’ll cut red tape, scrap unnecessary outdoor dining fees where appropriate, and make it easier to activate spaces with events, art, and live music.

    I want to see the West End buzzing day and night. That means better lighting, clearer signage, and a safer, more inviting streetscape—so people feel confident staying out after dark. I’ll support small businesses to thrive by streamlining approvals and encouraging new, diverse ventures that add to the area’s character.

    From hidden bars to creative studios, we should be celebrating what makes the West End unique—not holding it back with bureaucracy. I’ll work with traders, residents, and venue owners to unlock the full potential of our laneways and build a nightlife that’s vibrant, safe, and inclusive.
  5. The West End’s skyline is evolving. How will you balance the need for new development with the preservation of the area’s distinct character and ensure that growth benefits existing communities including businesses?
    The West End’s evolution is exciting, but growth must be smart, sustainable, and sensitive to what makes the area special. If elected, I’ll push for balanced development that respects the local character, protects the environment, and genuinely considers the voices of residents and businesses.

    We can’t afford development at any cost. That means stronger community consultation, design that complements the area’s heritage and creative culture, and planning outcomes that enhance livability—not undermine it. I’ll advocate for green space, human-scale design, and infrastructure that supports both new and existing communities.

    At the same time, I recognise the need to grow our city and attract investment. With the right approach, we can deliver developments that activate streets, support local traders, and provide new housing and commercial opportunities—without losing what makes the West End unique.
  1. The West End broadly is a hub for education, health, arts, and culture. What specific policies will you advocate for to foster stronger collaboration between these sectors and ensure the West End continues to attract and retain creative talent, students, and professionals?
    When I worked and studied in the West End, what the precinct needed then is much the same as it needs now: safety, activation, and a mix of businesses that make it a place to stay – not just pass through.

    The West End knows what it needs. Council’s job is to listen and act.

    We must back the Hindley Street Mainstreet upgrade and support efforts to fill vacant shopfronts and rebalance the tenancy mix. That means continuing support for Renew Adelaide, expanding incentives for local operators, and coordinating with building owners to attract diverse hospitality, retail, and arts businesses that trade during both the day and night.

    I want to see safer, more welcoming streets; better lighting, improved public amenities, and continued collaboration through the Hindley Street Round Table.

    Public space activation is also key. The Wauwi Park Party by duck! radio showed what’s possible. Council must fund everyday infrastructure; seating, shade, perhaps a fenced playground, to make Light Square usable all year round.

    Above all, whatever we do must support a refreshed identity for the West End. One that reflects its energy, creativity, and diversity. It’s time we invest in the creative quarter Adelaide already has.
  2. The Hindley Street upgrade project aims to revitalize a key main street in the West End that is half of the city’s main commercial artery in length. Beyond its completion, what are your ongoing strategies to ensure the upgraded Hindley Street truly becomes a safer, more vibrant, and economically beneficial space for businesses, residents, and visitors, particularly concerning its nighttime economy?
    Bringing people into the precinct is key. A vibrant, safe Hindley Street isn’t just about upgraded infrastructure, it’s about building a welcoming, inclusive community that feels safe and connected.

    Lighting, surveillance, and a visible security presence all help, but they’re just one part of the solution. We need to back community-led approaches that focus on early intervention and wellbeing, not just enforcement. That means funding trained outreach workers and programs that engage with people before issues escalate.

    We need activation that brings life to the street across the whole day, not just at night. That includes investment in public spaces, seating, lighting, and events that draw students, workers, residents, and creatives into the precinct, especially during quieter periods.

    Once the upgrade is complete, Council must stay involved: test what’s working, listen to feedback, and adapt. Do residents feel safe? Are businesses supported? Is the tenancy mix right? If not, we need to respond – not years later, but quickly.

    The Hindley Street upgrade is a huge opportunity. Let’s make sure it leads to a truly inclusive, thriving street, not just one that looks ‘nicer’.
  3. The Light Square Master Plan outlines significant improvements for this important public space. How will you prioritize and ensure the effective and timely implementation of this master plan to create a more inviting, functional, and well-utilized community asset for West End residents and the broader city?
    Master Plans are great. They promise big change, investment, transformation, a better future. But from what I’ve read in the Light Square / Wauwi Draft Master Plan, delivery is still dependent on future council decisions, prioritisation, and funding. As InDaily reported in February 2025, a council spokesperson confirmed that the plan is in its early stages, with $250,000 allocated this year for detailed design work, and no total project cost or construction timeline yet determined (Helen Karakulak, InDaily, Feb 12, 2025).

    To me, it’s clear: this precinct needs prioritisation now! I’ll continue to back investment in the long-term vision, especially plans to expand green space, improve safety, and make the Square more usable for all.

    But we also need action now.

    The traders and residents I’ve spoken to, are not asking for perfection – they’re asking for safety, more seating, and activation. These are small things Council can deliver now, without waiting on a multi-year capital works program.

    Let’s pilot improvements, support local events, and make Light Square feel active and safe on an everyday basis. We can invest in the future and show up for the present.
  4. The West End boasts a unique laneway culture and vibrant nightlife. How do you plan to support existing small businesses, encourage new and diverse ventures, and enhance the safety and appeal of these spaces for both residents and visitors, especially during evening hours?
    During COVID, I’d walk my dog to the Intersection Traders window, then operating out of the West Oak Hotel. It was a tough time for the precinct, the city was eerily quiet, and nightlife had come to a standstill. But that little café showed something powerful: even in crisis, the West End could adapt. A morning coffee window inside a pub usually known for its night trade. In that quiet, it became clear just how important adaptability and dual use are to the resilience of this area. We need more of that.

    I’ll continue to support initiatives like Renew Adelaide and explore new ways to activate underutilised spaces; not just for late-night trade, but for small-scale retail, studios, pop-ups, and creative businesses that add life across the day. Laneways, courtyards, and quiet corners can all become part of the West End’s economic and cultural fabric.

    On safety: I’ve said it before – this isn’t just about lighting and enforcement. It’s about a whole-of-community response, where Council actively listens to those on the ground: traders, residents, precinct groups. They know what’s working and what’s not.
  5. The West End’s skyline is evolving. How will you balance the need for new development with the preservation of the area’s distinct character and ensure that growth benefits existing communities including businesses?
    The West End’s evolving skyline brings opportunity, but growth must be done with care. This precinct has a distinct character rooted in culture, education, creativity, and community. Development can’t come at the cost of what makes the West End worth building in.

    We need planning policies that prioritise character and community benefit. That means protecting heritage where it exists, mixed-use development, and making sure new builds contribute to street-level vibrancy, not just skyline impact.

    Growth must also benefit existing businesses and residents. That starts with genuine community consultation, not just notification, and ensuring developments deliver public value. Whether it’s affordable commercial tenancies, public art, or upgraded laneways and open spaces, developers should be expected to contribute to the precinct’s cultural and economic fabric.

    Crucially, we must link development to livability. Is there shade on the street? Affordable food nearby? Creative spaces to work and gather? These are the questions that shape whether people stay, create, and invest in the West End.

    Growth is coming, that’s certain. But how we grow, who benefits, and what we protect along the way is up to us. I’ll always advocate for development that strengthens, not erases, this precinct’s identity.
  1. The West End broadly is a hub for education, health, arts, and culture. What specific policies will you advocate for to foster stronger collaboration between these sectors and ensure the West End continues to attract and retain creative talent, students, and professionals?
    The West End’s strength lies in its diversity, but precinct-wide outcomes are only possible through collective decision-making. By working together, different sectors can all contribute to making the West End a vibrant place to work, study and create.

    I’ll advocate for precinct-based governance, partnerships and programs that bring the West End sectors together to guide investment and unlock shared benefits. Council must continue to support the Adelaide West End Association (AWEA) to establish precinct priorities and help to coordinate activation, events and use of public space.

    I’ll also support targeted funding for cross-sector projects, initiatives and investments within the West End that demonstrate true precinct collaboration, aligned with priorities established by AWEA. This will create more opportunities for students and residents of the West End who are important contributors to its vibrancy and should contribute to its future.
  2. The Hindley Street upgrade project aims to revitalize a key main street in the West End that is half of the city’s main commercial artery in length. Beyond its completion, what are your ongoing strategies to ensure the upgraded Hindley Street truly becomes a safer, more vibrant, and economically beneficial space for businesses, residents, and visitors, particularly concerning its nighttime economy?
    Hindley Street, Rundle Mall and Rundle Street must be connected and not be treated in isolation. I’ll advocate for coordinated planning, activation and public realm investment along our city’s main commercial artery to ensure a consistent, seamless experience from east to west.

    Ongoing maintenance of the revitalised Hindley Street infrastructure will be essential to realise the long-term benefits of the $15M upgrade. Continued investment in safe lighting, quality footpaths and outdoor activation is needed to uphold amenity and vibrancy.

    Streets and laneways adjoining Hindley Street, including connections to the Central Market and Adelaide Railway Station, should be prioritised as part of the West End’s broader catchment – as targeted upgrades in these areas will help make Hindley Street safer, more accessible and better connected.
  3. The Light Square Master Plan outlines significant improvements for this important public space. How will you prioritize and ensure the effective and timely implementation of this master plan to create a more inviting, functional, and well-utilized community asset for West End residents and the broader city?
    Wauwi / Light Square is one of our city’s most important yet overlooked green spaces. Few people seem to realise it’s actually Colonel Light’s final resting place!

    Council’s City Plan 2036 identifies the greatest population growth over the next decade to occur in Adelaide’s west. With limited available green space, Wauwi / Light Square will be essential in supporting higher density and a growing number of residents, as well as the workers, students and residents who use it daily.

    High growth areas identified in the City Plan must be prioritised within Council’s investment and delivery programs. I’ll advocate for full funding and a clearly staged delivery plan to get this project moving and delivered in time to support future growth. I’ll also support interim activations such as community events to build momentum during planning and delivery.

    Community input and Kaurna co-design should form part of the design process, to balance the future civic function of Wauwi / Light Square with its heritage significance and history.
  4. The West End boasts a unique laneway culture and vibrant nightlife. How do you plan to support existing small businesses, encourage new and diverse ventures, and enhance the safety and appeal of these spaces for both residents and visitors, especially during evening hours?
    The West End’s laneways are important cultural assets in our city. I’ll encourage laneway activation through events, pop-ups and incentives like subsidised outdoor dining to support businesses that contribute to public vibrancy. I’ll also support programs that fund public art, live music, and other community-led activations.

    Council must prioritise safety in our public realm to improve the comfort of visitors – especially at night. Investment in lighting, the City Safe CCTV network and well-designed street layouts to maintain clear sightlines is essential. I’ll advocate for a collaborative, proactive approach to safety by bringing together traders, SAPOL, residents and support services to discuss and address safety concerns rather than rely solely on enforcement.

    Revitalising Hindley Street’s daytime economy is also essential and depends on attracting a diverse mix of land uses. To encourage new and diverse ventures, I’ll support adaptive reuse of existing buildings and continued investment in incentives like Renew Adelaide to encourage businesses that activate Hindley Street beyond nightlife.
  5. The West End’s skyline is evolving. How will you balance the need for new development with the preservation of the area’s distinct character and ensure that growth benefits existing communities including businesses?
    The projected growth in the West End must serve its existing communities and not displace them. New development must complement existing character, not erode it.

    I’ll work closely with the State Government to ensure planning controls protect the character of the West End and prioritise adaptive reuse and mid-scale infill. The Local Design Review process should be used to ensure high-quality development that considers context and respects the area’s heritage, scale and cultural identity.

    New development shouldn’t be driven by yield alone and should support a vibrant city. I’ll explore new opportunities for developments to make greater contributions to our public spaces for the broader benefit of local communities.
  1. The West End broadly is a hub for education, health, arts, and culture. What specific policies will you advocate for to foster stronger collaboration between these sectors and ensure the West End continues to attract and retain creative talent, students, and professionals?
    I will advocate for my Precinct Improvement Partnership (PIP) model — a structured collaboration between businesses, institutions, Council, and State Government. Together, we can plan for a West End that reflects its diverse character: education, health, culture, and entertainment. Each sub-region—from the university quarter to the hospital precinct, late-night venues and hotels near the Convention Centre and sporting venues—has unique qualities. But we must ensure better connectivity, creating safe, vibrant transitions between them. A clear strategy will help retain creative talent, students and professionals by making the whole quarter cohesive, functional, and exciting.
  2. The Hindley Street upgrade project aims to revitalize a key main street in the West End that is half of the city’s main commercial artery in length. Beyond its completion, what are your ongoing strategies to ensure the upgraded Hindley Street truly becomes a safer, more vibrant, and economically beneficial space for businesses, residents, and visitors, particularly concerning its nighttime economy?
    Hindley Street should not be redesigned in isolation. The street has needed a refresh for too long and should be the top priority to upgrade that enables flexible solutions that supports day, evening and nighttime economies.Through a Precinct Improvement Partnership, the redevelopment must be co-designed with local businesses, Council and key stakeholders. That means practical solutions that reflect each group’s concerns and avoid one-size-fits-all upgrades. Long-term success also requires ongoing co-investment in events and activations—targeted, collaborative programming that enhances visitation, avoids duplication, and delivers real value to the precinct’s economy, especially in the nighttime economy.
  3. The Light Square Master Plan outlines significant improvements for this important public space. How will you prioritize and ensure the effective and timely implementation of this master plan to create a more inviting, functional, and well-utilized community asset for West End residents and the broader city?
    The Master Plan can priorities investment and activation through a Precinct Improvement Partnership so it can account for how people move through, access and park around Light Square including surrounding businesses. We need a smarter balance that preserves traffic flow and flexible access, especially as vehicle restrictions already discourage city visitation and affect return-to-office trends. With 1,000+ student beds proposed nearby at the Trinity Church site and more residential developments emerging, timely and effective implementation must support both community use and commercial viability.
  4. The West End boasts a unique laneway culture and vibrant nightlife. How do you plan to support existing small businesses, encourage new and diverse ventures, and enhance the safety and appeal of these spaces for both residents and visitors, especially during evening hours?
    The West End needs a strategic plan that embeds a structure for ongoing events, activations, and precinct-wide promotion. This creates a rolling calendar of attractions, drawing visitors throughout the day, evening, and night. A redeveloped Hindley Street should offer flexible public space adaptable to day trading, evening hospitality, and night-time entertainment. This design must also integrate laneways, supporting more intimate venues that make the West End distinct a diverse destination. By working closely with residents, we can minimise disruption improve safety while preserving the district’s core identity and purpose.
  5. The West End’s skyline is evolving. How will you balance the need for new development with the preservation of the area’s distinct character and ensure that growth benefits existing communities including businesses?
    The university precinct and Hindley Street’s entertainment zone are already well-defined. The opportunity lies in the surrounding streets, where new residential and accommodation developments can support precinct vitality. Growth should be guided by clever design codes and character overlays—ensuring new buildings enhance rather than overshadow the public realm. This balance will allow the skyline to evolve while respecting the West End’s historic and cultural identity, delivering benefits to residents, students, and businesses alike.
 
  1. The West End broadly is a hub for education, health, arts, and culture. What specific policies will you advocate for to foster stronger collaboration between these sectors and ensure the West End continues to attract and retain creative talent, students, and professionals?
    Availability of workspaces (landlords), access (transport infrastructure, parking), spaces that foster creative thinking and outlet (eateries including licensing, parklands/trees). I am personally in favour of reclaiming the roads from cars and would encourage policies that create more shared spaces between pedestrians, cyclists and public transport vehicles only.
  2. The Hindley Street upgrade project aims to revitalize a key main street in the West End that is half of the city’s main commercial artery in length. Beyond its completion, what are your ongoing strategies to ensure the upgraded Hindley Street truly becomes a safer, more vibrant, and economically beneficial space for businesses, residents, and visitors, particularly concerning its nighttime economy?
    The only additions I would propose are regular police nighttime car patrols (during peak seasons) and increased afterhours bus transport (last journey from the cbd at 3am).
  3. The Light Square Master Plan outlines significant improvements for this important public space. How will you prioritize and ensure the effective and timely implementation of this master plan to create a more inviting, functional, and well-utilized community asset for West End residents and the broader city?
    Adelaide’s Lord Mayor envisages that the project will be delivered by 2036. Obstacles to this delivery timeframe would exist with the developer(s) and unforeseen cost overruns.
  4. The West End boasts a unique laneway culture and vibrant nightlife. How do you plan to support existing small businesses, encourage new and diverse ventures, and enhance the safety and appeal of these spaces for both residents and visitors, especially during evening hours?
    Observe the outcomes from the Hindley Street upgrade and overlay the achieving concepts from that project to other areas within the West End.
  5. The West End’s skyline is evolving. How will you balance the need for new development with the preservation of the area’s distinct character and ensure that growth benefits existing communities including businesses?
    Through the engagement of stakeholders through consultation during the initial stages of future development proposals.