Local government elections will be held on September 14, 2024.
As part of our series featuring Wollongong's candidates for Lord Mayor, Liberal Councillor John Dorahy answers questions.
Please introduce yourself to our readers.
I am a Wollongong born and bred lad, growing up in Unanderra near Unanderra Oval, where I was able to enjoy many a day or afternoon playing with friends kicking balls or playing hockey with the girls or even netball back in the day.
I attended St Pius X Primary School, Unanderra going onto St Paul’s College Bellambi, now Holy Spirit College, followed by technical college courses, allowing a professional sport to take up my time during those study years.
My first employment was as a trainee business manager for Mascot Industries in Mascot followed by my own business for 12+ years in both Sydney and Wollongong.
I extended my professional rugby league career in the UK both as a player and successful coach.
I settled back in Wollongong, opening and operating a highly successful fitness centre, the first of the ‘quality’ centres in Wollongong.
Since November 1, 2006, I was employed by a USA company as a general manager/sales director Australia NZ to open, manage and build a cash transaction business. In Australia/NZ, I was able to manage and direct a business growing from $0 to ~$20M.
I have been fortunate to be a director of several organisations such as Venues NSW (7 years); Leagues Clubs Australia (15 years); Wests Illawarra Leagues Club (20 years); CareSouth (3 years).
Why are you the best person to be Wollongong’s next Lord Mayor?
I believe I am the ‘best person’ for the role as Lord Mayor because I would bring a ‘Back to Basics’ platform where – in my opinion – ‘Wollongong Council Can Do Better’.
My superior experience as a senior executive in a multi-national organisation, along with my astute awareness of facilitating engagement and action to achieve corporate goals, is superior to others in this race.
WCC currently needs a leader such as myself who believes in better communications with and for residents and businesses, focussed on the empathy and vision to not only listen, but to action with promptness.
I will put in place a mechanism for both the resident and the business owner to meet with the Lord Mayor on a monthly basis to air their success stories and to provide a platform to air grievances, challenges, issues and opportunities to improve our great city and suburbs.
I believe in service, engagement and communication are the priorities for this council, bringing the community along a road to success and ability to live, work and play in the best city in NSW.
Similarly, it is about ensuring a principle approach to Budget spend and constraints.
What would be your top priorities if elected to the city’s top job?
- Bring a ‘Back to Basics’ view of what a council can and should be doing for the city, their residents and the businesses;
- Improve the communication and engagement portfolio to a more effective position;
- Increase the Budget spend on footpaths with a more strategic planning function that provides a footpath within 1km radius of all schools to improve pedestrian (see parents, children, grandparents) and cyclists' ability for a safer travel to and from school and other daily [routes];
- Flooding & Waterways – I believe and will push hard for improved council support toward lessening the impacts of heavy rainfall by reviewing the waterways/creeks structures and … request a combined meeting of all 3 Floodplain Communities to review recent into future solutions.
If you could deliver one key project in your first term, what would it be?
A combined opportunity to Invigorate Wollongong CBD by re-opening one-way travel in Crown Street to light vehicle and cyclists traffic between Church & Kembla Streets, with free parking in the CBD.
Why do you want the job?
Because I am the best positioned to assist Wollongong GROW into where it belongs being the third largest city in NSW. I have the business experience, the engagement skill to connect with residents and businesses both small and large to help understand their needs and wants, and give councillor direction towards action. I am a superior executive manager than my opposition.
View on the Illawarra's Renewable Energy Zone
At the Wollongong City Council meeting on 14 August 2023, Cr John Dorahy supported the resolution prepare a submission to the Commonwealth Government on the proposed Illawarra offshore wind zone. The resolution noted that the zone strategically aligned with Council’s efforts to respond to the climate emergency and support local jobs, while calling for further consideration of visual and environmental impacts, and more information on expected benefits.
This year, on July 28, John was one of several local politicians who attended Responsible Future's rally against offshore wind at Lake Illawarra. The Liberal mayoral candidate explained that had changed his mind about the Federal Government's "‘dropped on" action for several reasons.
"What changed my mind on the wind turbine farm relates to the forums held locally that pointed out many major negatives against the potential benefits:
- Cost vs benefit;
- Costs NOT provided to Wollongong or businesses: cost to build and where to be built; cost to install; cost to maintain; cost to decommission; cost to remediate;
- Critical likelihood of damage to the sea floor;
- Critical damage to Wollongong’s fishing industry, both commercial and recreational;
- And, the unsightly view from Cronulla to Kiama.
"Additionally, if it was a Liberal Government, I would not support what is being dumped on our coast or region."
