Mayor blazing pink trails in Randwick

Bruce Notley-Smith was elected Mayor of Randwick last week, the first openly gay Liberal to have reached that level of public office.
The new mayor said he often takes his long-term partner Paul to functions and only ever had one homophobic letter during his seven years on the accepting council.
“Randwick doesn’t have problems with multiculturalism or homophobia. If a gay guy gets beaten up is it gay vilification bashing, or just a gay guy who got beaten up?” Notley-Smith said.
The personal win for Notley-Smith, who was elected with Greens support, was also a symbolic achievement for the social moderates within the Liberal Party who espouse the big tent philosophy.
After the NSW state election defeat earlier this year Sydney councillor Shayne Mallard expressed concern that gay reform proponents felt disenfranchised in the party, but Notley-Smith felt those factional wars were drawing to a close.
“There’s certainly been a lot less antagonism and animosity. I’m sure that’s behind us,” he said.
He also has the support of moderate heavyweights including Wentworth MP Malcolm Turnbull and NSW Opposition leader Barry O’Farrell – but said he no longer had ambition to enter state politics.
“I much prefer local government. You can actually see the practical benefit that you make,” Notley-Smith said.