Greenwich endorsed as Clover resigns

ROBERT BURTON-BRADLEY

Gay marriage campaigner Alex Greenwich will stand for the NSW seat of Sydney after he was endorsed by outgoing independent MP Clover Moore today.

Moore, who has just been re-elected as the Lord Mayor of Sydney, made her last speech to the NSW Parliament today before resigning from the seat she has held for 24 years.

Greenwich described the endorsement as an overwhelming honour.

“Come by-election I look forward to being a strong independent candidate for Sydney with Clover’s endorsement,” he said outside NSW Parliament today.

“There’s a lot of work to do and I look forward to delivering; from fighting for environmental sustainability, public and low cost housing, to being a voice for the social issues that Clover has championed like animal welfare and gay and lesbian welfare reform.”

Moore was forced to choose between state and local government after the NSW government passed what’s been called the “Get Clover” legislation which bans politicians from holding state and local positions.

“Today is a travesty for democracy,” Moore said.

“I think the most effective thing I can now do given I have been forced to resign as the independent member for Sydney is to endorse someone I feel I will be able to hand the independent baton to someone I believe will be able to carry on the independent work that I have provided … over the last 24 years.”

Greenwich’s endorsement by Moore has been an open secret for weeks despite his insistence until today that no decision had been made.

The Australian Marriage Equality national convenor faces strong competition from former Sydney councillor Shayne Mallard who is standing as the Liberal candidate for the seat.

Another former Sydney councillor, Chris Harris, is standing for the Greens, but his chances look slim after the Greens’ vote was halved in the Sydney Council elections earlier this month.

Labor has yet to preselect a candidate for the seat.