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Residents First Woollahra is an independent political party active in the Municipality of Woollahra in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs. The party was formed in the middle of 2003 by a group of Woollahra residents concerned about over development within the municipality.

The current Mayor of Woollahra, Clr Susan Wynne, is a member of RFW.

Information for Upcoming Local Government Election - Saturday, 8 September 2012
VOTING IN LOCAL COUNCIL ELECTIONS IS COMPULSORY

Date: Saturday, 8 September 2012

Polling Booth Locations: Please find all related polling booth stations on the electoral commission website by clicking here

Pre Poll: If you are unable to cast your vote on the day of the election it is possible to cast your vote between Monday, 27 August and Friday, 7 September at Level 1, 53 Cross Street Double Bay.

Residents First Woollahra Policy Objectives for 2012-2016

 * Prevent over development and maintain Woollahra’s present character substantially unchanged;
 * Keep party politics out of local government and protect the true interests of residents;
 * Ensure provision of Council services and maintenance of Council assets at levels and standards which meet justifiable community requirements;
 * Foster co-operation with other public bodies and authorities in relation to projects and services affecting Woollahra so as to optimise the benefits accruing to residents;
 * Hold rates and charges to the minimum consistent with the needs of the Woollahra Council;
 * Improve communications between the Council and residents and residents groups;
 * Preserve Woollahra’s independence by resisting amalgamations with incompatible areas;
 * Make decisions and determine goals and policy for council to implement;
 * Safeguard and uphold Woollahra’s heritage and significant listings of public and private buildings, street listings, community trees, promenades, sea walls and private dwellings.

Jeff Zulman
Ward: Bellevue Hill

Jeff is a professional investor and corporate advisor. He studied, lived and worked in South Africa, England and America, before immigrating to Australia in 1994. His corporate and communal experience gives him sharp commercial understanding, coupled with a strong sense of community. He has served as the Chief Executive and a Director of several businesses whilst chairing Jewish communal activities and balancing the needs and love of his family and pets. Jeff supports the residents in their undertaking to preserve the views from the Rose Bay’s heritage listed promenade and sea wall. He opposes further marina expansion in Rose Bay. He will continue to monitor speed management and pedestrian issues at the Bellevue Road shopping areas. He is a keen supporter of the local shopping areas in his ward. Traffic and pedestrian safety, road maintenance and efficient garbage collection, are all high priority issues right across Woollahra.

Luise Elsing
Ward: Cooper

Luise is a lawyer who has worked for over 25 years in financial markets and in the mining, oil and gas industry. She is a long time resident in Woollahra. Luise sits on the Committee of Queen Street and West Woollahra Association. Luise is married and has two sons and a daughter who have all completed their schooling locally. Luise will focus on preserving and enhancing the unique Village neighbourhoods and shopping areas across her Ward. She will seek to maintain Woollahra's unique beauty and heritage. Luise is opposed to inappropriate over development and to high-rise in Double Bay. She will encourage Council investment in local events and community facilities. Improvement and maintenance of footpaths, rubbish recycling, street lighting, parking and traffic management issues are matters of her concern. Luise is particularly concerned with local residential issues regarding the opening hours of pubs and restaurants, and the noise and parking problems they have created in the surrounding residential streets.

Elena Kirillova
Ward: Double Bay

At the start of her legal career, she worked for the Environmental Defenders Office, championing public interest environmental and heritage issues. She worked in London for 17 years, specialising in cross- border corporate and finance transactions, returning to Sydney in 2007. She is married and her children attend schools in the area. Elena is passionate about protecting our heritage, preserving and enhancing our local villages, improving public spaces, reducing traffic congestion and improving our roads and footpaths. She will protect heritage trees in Woollahra, and is opposed to the removal of the Yarranabbe fig trees. She is keen to encourage more residents to participate in the Council's recycling program and to expand it to include storm water drainage for local parks. Elena supports the residents in their opposition to further expansion of marinas in Rose Bay, Rushcutters Bay and Double Bay. She also supports the residents in their stand against high-rise in Double Bay.

Elena Wise
Ward: Paddington

Elena is the Chair of Residents First Woollahra, and she has represented Paddington as the community representative on Woollahra Council's Public Art Advisory Committee and the Small Sculpture Prize Committee since 2008. She is a member of the Advisory Board of the Sydney Women's Fund and is a member of the Paddington Society. Elena is married, is a senior executive with over 12 years in the financial services industry, and is a Chartered Accountant. Elena's passion is focused on the revitalisation of Paddington as an arts, fashion and retail precinct, retaining the village feel that makes Paddington so special for our residents and local businesses. Elena will continue Residents First Woollahra's opposition to any overdevelopment of White City. She is committed to protecting heritage trees across Woollahra. Preserving the historic heritage of Paddington is a foremost concern.

Susan Wynne
Ward: Vaucluse

Susan is a current councillor. Click here for her bio.

Greg Medcraft
Ward: Paddington

A former Mayor of Woollahra and Councillor for Paddington, Greg has been a resident/owner in Paddington for the past 18 years. His children have attended Peter Pan Kindergarten and Glenmore Rd Primary. Greg is a former president of Peter Pan Kindergarten and a member of the Paddington Society. He is CEO of a major financial services industry group and also runs a financial services consultancy. This experience will prove invaluable in assisting Council to improve their financial and investment management.

Greg champions many initiatives for Paddington, some of these include:
 * Ensure development control plan for White City is respected and new developments comply with the Paddington Development Control Plan
 * Implement a “first car free” resident parking permit, extend restrictions on non residents and increase enforcement
 * Introduce a local bus shuttle to make Edgecliff Centre more accessible for shopping and transport
 * Implement a local area bicycle program
 * Appoint a dedicated Paddington Customer Service Manager
 * Benchmark Council in terms of best practice to minimise carbon footprints and water management
 * Protect open spaces, upgrade parks and re-open pedestrian access to Rushcutters Bay Park via White City
 * Annual reporting to residents - expand use of email communication with residents
 * Undertake immediate review of the Council Plan of Management and revise priorities
 * Ensure 40km limit zones are respected

Ian Plater
Ward: Double Bay

Ian has been a resident of Woollahra all his life and is committed to protecting Woollahra as a great place to live. He wants to ensure his children and grandchildren can be proud to live in Woollahra. His background in company finance and as an accountant and businessman will be invaluable in making sure our rates are well spent.

Susan Wynne
Ward: Vaucluse

Susan Wynne was elected as a Vaucluse Ward Councillor in 2008 and in 2011 was unanimously elected Mayor of Woollahra.

She is one of only 9 women to have held this position and is the youngest female Mayor in 150 years of Woollahra Council. Susan has worked tirelessly over the past 4 years not only for her own ward, but for the whole of the Municipality. With over 15 years experience as a Senior Marketer, as well as a small business owner, Susan juggles being a Mum of two girls, with her commitment to the community. She is hoping to continue serving her community as an elected representative of the Vaucluse Ward, and remains passionate about the role local members can have in shaping and enhancing the communities in which we live.

Malcolm Young
Ward: Cooper

Profile Pending

Residents First Woollahra History
At a meeting at the home of Founder, Geoff Rundle in Wallaroy Road, Double Bay, members of the Woollahra Action Committee (WAC) met with other concerned residents to form Residents First Woollahra (RFW). It was not so much to dissolve WAC but to revitalise and re-energise the party with a new name, fresh faces and to develop a platform and statement of ideas to protect Woollahra’s heritage and to prevent over development in a community that was already facing the rezoning of White City and the overdevelopment of Kiaora Lands in Double Bay. RFW is an independent group of residents determined to keep major party politics from dominating Woollahra Council.

Those present at this meeting were, Geoff Rundle, a WAC Councillor, WAC Committee members, Brian France, David Leach, Ian Plater and Doug Markell, residents Jim Morrow, David Chrystal, Philip Mason (President of Double Bay Residents Association), Malcolm Young, Jasmine Steel, Virginia Rundle and Bruce Bland. It was resolved to form a new party for the 2004 Local Council elections, a new and catchy name had to be found, a logo and a statement of goals developed, and candidates selected who would reflect community concerns. Several meetings later Residents First was formed, the Party was registered by the State Electoral Office and the Party Launch was held on 27 September 2003 to a large gathering at the Rundles.

WAC was itself formed in the early 1960’s, motivated by the gross over development of unit blocks right across Woollahra, but most particularly in Darling Point. For many years WAC controlled Woollahra Council and re-organised very successfully the Development Control Plan (DCP) to prevent further high-rise in Woollahra. During the late 1980’s WAC lost its way with its own foray into re-invigorating Double Bay with a proposed underground car park under Guilfoyle Park ending in failure, followed by the Scotts hotel and retail development collapse resulting in the loss of the Council depot and the ensuing bad press over the bankruptcy of Scotts Development. WAC lost its dominance with the decision by the Liberal Party to field candidates at the 1999 Local elections, when only two WAC Councillors were returned.

WAC was itself formed in the early 1960’s, motivated by the gross over development of unit blocks right across Woollahra, but most particularly in Darling Point. For many years WAC controlled Woollahra Council and re-organised very successfully the Development Control Plan (DCP) to prevent further high rise in Woollahra. During the late 1980’s WAC lost its way with its own foray into re-invigorating Double Bay with a proposed underground car park under Guilfoyle Park ending in failure, followed by the Scotts hotel and retail development collapse resulting in the loss of the Council depot and the ensuing bad press over the bankruptcy of Scotts Development. WAC lost its dominance with the decision by the Liberal Party to field candidates at the 1999 Local elections, when only two WAC Councillors were returned.

The 2004 March Local Council elections saw great acceptance of Residents First Woollahra and four Councillors were elected, Cr Julian Martin, Paddington Ward, Cr Claudia Cullen, Cooper Ward, Cr Geoff Rundle, Double Bay Ward and Cr Wilhelmina Gardner, Vaucluse Ward. At the ensuing Mayoral election Cr Rundle was elected as Mayor for the following 18 months. The headlines in the Wentworth Courier read “Libs ousted as Rundle puts Residents First”, it was a great start for Residents First Woollahra which has continued to grow in popularity and membership. Prior to his retirement, Cr Rundle was re-elected Mayor again in 2007/8.

Four new RFW Councillors were elected in September 2008, Cr Greg Medcraft (a former WAC Mayor), Paddington Ward, Cr Malcolm Young, Cooper Ward, Cr Ian Plater, Double Bay Ward and Cr Susan Wynne, Vaucluse Ward, who are continuing to uphold RFW principles, goals and pledges.