Clover Moore's long march to become Sydney's Mayor

The election of progressive independent Clover Moore as Mayor 
of Sydney City Council has been marked by successive manoeuvres 
by both Liberal and Labor Parties to keep her out and retain 
control of the Council which is the jewel in the crown of NSW 
Municipal electorates.

1968: The Askin Liberal Government attempted to loosen 
Labor's grip on Sydney City Council by shedding the surrounding 
working-class suburbs. The Government created the separate South 
Sydney Council where many workers reside.

1980: Clover Moore is elected as the first non-Labor 
councillor in the 12 years of South Sydney Council.

1982: Eyeing an opportunity to grab control of Greater 
Sydney City Council Labor re-amalgamates the two Councils. Moore 
is elected to the new enlarged Sydney City Council.

1987: Just as Moore is poised to win the position of Mayor 
the State Labor Government sacks Sydney City Council as 
"unworkable" and appoints an administrator.

1988: The Labor Government itself is sacked by NSW voters, 
with the Liberal Coalition storming to power. However, Moore's 
public support is stronger than ever and she steals an upset win 
in the Liberal held State seat of Bligh. The Liberals de-
amalgamate Sydney City once again, recreating the old South 
Sydney Council.

1991, 1995, 1999: Bligh is regarded as a plum election 
prize by both Liberal and Labor, yet despite boundary changes and 
generous funding of high-profile candidates they fail to unseat 
Clover Moore.

2000: Labor suffers an embarrassing defeat in South 
Sydney, losing control of the council to a coalition of Greens, 
Democrats and Community Independents.

2003: Frank Sartor the nominally independent but very 
Labor-friendly Mayor of Sydney resigns to run for Labor in the 
state election. The position of Sydney Mayor falls to independent 
Lucy Turnbull, wife of high-profile Liberal Malcolm Turnbull. 
Moore again romps home in Bligh.

2004: To oust the two independent Mayors and regain 
control of both Councils the State Labor Government once again 
forces the amalgamation of the Sydney City and the more working 
class South Sydney — a move that is opposed by many South Sydney 
residents. The Labor Party nominates former rightwing Federal ALP 
Minister, Michael Lee. The Liberal Party nominates former State 
Liberal leader Peter Collins.

Clover Moore saw red. "Sussex Street [ALP headquarters] wants a 
tame council because they see it as a cash cow and they are 
prepared to go to great lengths to get it", says Ms Moore.

Clover Moore's unexpected announcement of her nomination as a 
Mayoral candidate for the re-amalgamated Sydney City Council 
while retaining her state seat of Bligh mightily upsets both 
Liberal and Labor Parties. They both waged a strong and 
underhanded campaign against her.

On election day, March 27, Clover Moore won 43 percent of the 
first preference votes and the ALP 23 percent. The Greens and a 
number of other candidates exchanged preferences with Clover 
Moore which enabled her to win the Mayoralty hands down.

The shoddy manoeuvres of both Labor and Liberal Parties 
backfired.

Clover Moore said, "There is a rejection by the Sydney community 
of the thuggish sacking of a democratically elected [South 
Sydney] council and the attempt to install a candidate who moved 
into our area last September — there's been a real rejection of 
that".