Your Baludarri (Balmain) Ward Candidates

Mayor Darcy Byrne is an experienced leader who is getting things done for our community.

 

Born and raised in Balmain, Darcy is a lifelong local with a passion for serving our community. 

 

First elected to Leichhardt Council in 2008, Darcy was already a proven fighter for the community. His first political campaign was organising residents of the boarding house he was living in to fight against rezoning and eviction.

 

Before entering politics Darcy worked for more than a decade as a youth worker with disadvantaged young people across the inner city.

 

He learnt there the importance of compassion and delivering services that our community depends on.

 

He brings that same commitment to service in his role as our Mayor.

 

Elected as Mayor of Leichhardt in 2012, Darcy was later elected as the first Mayor of the Inner West in 2017.

 

Since then he has helped build the Inner West into an effective Council that delivers for local people.

 

Darcy and the Local Labor team have achieved much for the Inner West, including:

 

• Building the magnificent Marrickville Library, one of the best public libraries in the world

• Rebuilding the awesome Ashfield Aquatic Centre

• Expanding food recycling to every Inner West home

• Saving Dawn Fraser Baths through a heritage restoration

• Securing $40 million to save Leichhardt Oval

• Strong and effective advocacy for our community including keeping local planning controls and defending residents against Westconnex impacts

  

As our Mayor Darcy delivers for local people and is a strong and experienced advocate for the Inner West community.

 

Now he’s asking for your support to make sure the Council continues to work for you.

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Kerrie Fergusson is a local parent and a passionate community volunteer. She has dedicated her spare time to being President of the non-profit Little Nicholson Street Play Centre, President of the Parent Advisory Committee at KU Phoenix Preschool Rozelle and currently Vice President of Nicholson Street Public School Parents & Citizens Association. 

 

Kerrie’s children are seventh generation Balmain. The Fergusson’s have a history of local contribution and advocacy, including the establishment of the much loved Dawn Fraser Pool. Kerrie’s wish is to continue that advocacy by protecting both the social and physical culture of Balmain, safeguarding our green spaces, preserving Balmain’s history and ensuring that it remains an open and inclusive environment to be enjoyed by all.

 

Kerrie studied a Bachelor of Music and performs locally from time to time. She has a keen interest in supporting live music and the local arts culture, and is excited about opening up our local town halls as rehearsal venues to nurture new talent. Kerrie is a passionate advocate for our local environment, and is often seen out and about pulling weeds or raking leaves, working side by side with the community and Inner West Council on a bush regeneration project in Ballast Point.

 

In her volunteer work, Kerrie has enjoyed supporting and interacting with the Balmain community. She is honoured to be taking that a step further and nominating to represent you in Local Government. 

Brian Frankham - I have lived in Balmain since 1987. During this period my wife and I have raised 3 children who all attended the local public and high schools.

 

Through my children I became involved with the Balmain and District Football Club as a manager of their teams and then a member of the executive. I retired from the executive after 20 years in 2024 having served as Secretary, Vice President and President over various periods.

 

I’m currently the age coordinator for the 120 4–5-year-old Tiny Tigers – a role I have held for 10 years and one which I love - it is the introduction of these youngsters to the ‘world game’.

 

I have recently retired after 25 years as a member of the NSW Department of Education senior executive service.

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During this period, I was recognised as an innovative asset manager. I pioneered the use of life cycle modelling to predict the current and future maintenance investment needs in the school’s building portfolio valued at more than 35 billion dollars. This work led to an increase in school maintenance funding of $1.2 billion over 4 years.

 

I was also part of the strategic management team that used this information and demographic trends to define the needs for new and refurbished schools in the period 2016 – 2031.

 

As a director of capital works during this period I also delivered new schools and TAFE colleges valued at more than $1 billion across NSW.

 

I was a policy advisor to the Minister for Education from 1984-88. I have also led various reviews on behalf of Ministers and, in the period 1993 – 1998, I was Australia’s representative on the OECD Program on Education Buildings. I was also part of a team that was a finalist in the 2019 Prime Minister's Awards for Excellence in Public Sector Management

 

I am a life member of the Labor Party and have managed many election campaigns at local government, state and federal level dating from the mid-1970’s.

 

I chose to stand in this election to support the ticket of Darcy Byrne, the Mayor of the Inner West. I have worked with Darcy on all his campaigns and admire what he and the Labor team have achieved, especially in the last 3 years where Labor has formed a majority on the Council.

 

I strongly believe in transparent, evidence based, planning that delivers real progress and services to the community. To my mind Darcy’s team has achieved this and I hope I can contribute to them continuing this great work.