Wollongong's Greens candidates for the upcoming council election are once again pitching a plan to install a "night mayor", to help boost after-dark activities across the city.

While the job - which the Greens have hoped to create for the past eight years - might have a snazzy, slightly spooky name name, a night mayor is simply a permanent part time position at the council, the party's candidate for Lord Mayor Jess Whittaker said.

The new employee would responsible for prioritising the night-time economy and streamlining clunky venue approval processes, that the Greens said has left many venues delayed or unable to open at all, resulting in a struggling, empty night scene. It would also work with music venues, bars, 24-hour gyms and late-night grocery stores, and help cluster night-time businesses together to create small night-time precincts within the likes of Port Kembla or Thirroul.

"The thing we're hearing from businesses is that it can be a clunky process dealing with council DAs, so a way we can make it easier would be to have someone to support new businesses and young businesses and make it a good experience for them," she said.

Ms Whittaker said the state's first 24-Hour Economy Commissioner Michael Rodrigues, who has been working in with businesses in Sydney, demonstrated how effective having someone overseeing night time activities could be. She said the job would suit a bar or venue owner, or someone from the music or events scene, who knows the dynamics of the industry and can give the council inside knowledge about the local nightlife scene.

The Greens have been pitching the "night mayor" vision at elections since 2017, when then mayoral candidate Mithra Cox said it was based on a similar idea in Amsterdam.

Ms Whittaker said it still had a lot of merit eight years on, especially in tough economic times. "Our nighttime economy has taken a beating from COVID and a lack of adequate help for venue owners, promoters and others to get through the council's red tape and clunky channels," she said.

State Greens MP Cate Faehrmann said Wollongong was a thriving, diverse city that deserved music and the night-time economy to be a priority. "All too often owners of restaurants, cafes and bars who want to provide diverse night-time options for the community find themselves struggling with a confusing and over-the-top regulatory environment and a lack of planning," she said.

"This isn't great for business and it's not great for the community with a lack of lively, safe spaces on offer for people who want to go out late with their family and friends."

Story by Kate McIlwain in the Illawarra Mercury, 22 May 2024.

"We need a night-time mayor to help businesses make it through tough times. That's what we're going through now and we need a vibrant, diverse, creative night-time industry and that's what they champion." - Cate Faehrmann, Greens Music and Night-Time Economy Spokesperson.

"We want to be able to go to a bar or restaurant in your local village, it doesn't necessarily have to be in the CBD. We want these small bars to be in our villages and towns and operating really successfully with the full support of Wollongong Council." - Jess Whittaker, Wollongong City Council Greens Lord Mayor Candidate.

"Labor does have the biggest block on Council and I think it's also on them that this hasn't already happened, because it should have happened." - Jess Whittaker.

Olivia Blunden reporting for WIN News, 22 May 2024.

The Greens upper house MP Kate Faehrmann is tipping a "record result" for the party in this Saturday's election.

"We are continuing to grow our vote in this area - every election we have a growing number of members and supporters," Ms Faehrmann said.

"We are looking at a two and three election strategy in the Illawarra, like we are doing in the Hunter, like we're doing in other areas. We continue to grow our vote, because at some stage we will turn the Illawarra Green."

She pointed to the 2002 election of the Greens' Michael Organ to the federal seat of Cunningham as evidence of what is possible.

"We will do better in this election than we have at any other state election in NSW."

Ms Faehrmann said the possibility of a close election was a good sign for the Greens.

"We do know that in this election we have a very good chance of being able to be in the balance of power and get some outcome on some key issues for us."

"Polls are predicted to be very tight. We have said we will never support a Liberal-National government, but we have also said to Labor, don't take our support for granted."

Two weeks ago the party released a list of seven issues Labor would have to take action on to win the support of the Greens. These included scrapping the public sector wage cap, introducing a mandatory cashless gambling card and a commitment that no new coal or gas projects are created.

"It's predicted that Labor won't get the seats that they need to govern in their own right and they will need to look at a handful of Greens and independents to be able to govern."

"We have said what this is about is guaranteeing them confidence in their government so if there's someone moving no-confidence motion we would not support it so that would be able to govern confidently without instability. What that doesn't mean is that we are supporting everything they do by any means."

Story by Glen Humphries in the Illawarra Mercury, 23 March 2023.

15 March 2023

Cath Blakey, Greens Councillor and state candidate for Wollongong joined the Mothers and Midwives of the Illawarra community picnic to launch the Greens commitment to announce paid placements for nurses, midwives and paramedics in training.

Federal Greens leader Adam Bandt believes his party is on track for a record result at this month’s state election, as it attempts its first succession of power within a NSW seat.

The Greens have told NSW Labor it cannot count on its support to form a minority government unless it agrees to several key demands, including a mandatory cashless gaming card, no new coal or gas projects and a commitment for First Nations seats in parliament.

Speaking at the Greens campaign launch on Saturday, an enthusiastic Bandt said he could “not wait” for the state election.

“This is on track for a record result,” he said of the Greens’ campaign, adding that he believed young people in particular were choosing his party instead of Labor due to climate concerns.

Story by Mary Ward in the Sydney Morning Herald, 11 March 2023.

The Greens say they will not support a Coalition government if the party holds the balance of power after this month's New South Wales election.

The Greens outlined seven priorities for the next parliament, including gambling reforms,  banning no-grounds evictions, action to address climate change,  banning new coal and gas projects, reforms to rental laws, beginning a treaty and truth process for First Nations people in NSW, and repealing controversial anti-protest laws. The party will also push for cashless gaming, the introduction of nurse-to-patient ratios, a ban on logging in public native forests and scrapping the public sector wage cap.

All of the party's candidates for "winnable" lower house seats are women

More than half of candidates on the party's upper house ticket are women, as are all of its candidates for "winnable" lower house seats.

Upper house member Cate Faehrmann said if the Greens did hold the sway of power after the election, they would not settle for "half measures" such as a cashless gaming trial that has been set up to fail.

"This election, we have a powerful opportunity to make change for the people of New South Wales and our previous environment because there is a real chance that the Greens could hold the balance of power in both houses of parliament."

"Labor has a lot of work to do to convince the Greens they are worth supporting."

"Voters know where the Greens stand on issues that matter to them."

Newtown MP Jenny Leong said the election was a chance to change the toxic political culture in NSW.

"Recent elections have shown that sharing power is crucial to forming government. The days of claiming an absolute mandate by any of the old parties is well and truly over."

The Greens "will not support a Perrottet Liberal National government. But our support for a Minns Labor government comes with expectations — expectations to see real action on the changes that people in our communities and on our streets are crying out for."

Story by Heath Parkes-Hupton at the ABC, 11 March 2023.

"Alcohol advertising works - that's why liquor companies pour millions into convincing people to drink more."

"Until we restrict alcohol advertising we will not be able to significantly reduce the harms that alcohol causes."

Greens health spokesperson Cate Faerhmann MLC.

The Greens are calling on the NSW government to ban alcohol advertising on state property, including public transport, and refuse to allow sporting clubs to display alcohol sponsorship when playing at government-owned sporting fields – Story by Bageshri Savyasachi in the Illawarra Mercury, 6 March 2023.

– Story in the South Coast Register, 6 March 2023.

"Witnessing people in line at Mardi Gras being taken away and strip-searched showed how messed up the government's priorities are towards meaningful public health reform."

Ms Faehrmann revealed a plan by her party to legalise nicotine vapes for people over the age of 18 to help reduce harms associated with the devices.
Story by Duncan Murray in the Illawarra Mercury, 28 February 2023.