Know your Local Council candidate: Pallavi Sinha

Pallavi Sinha is passionate about sustainability in her local area; governance of the North Sydney Olympic Pool; car parking, traffic calming and pedestrian safety, and open and green spaces.

What prompted you to run for Local Council?

Pallavi Sinha: As a lawyer, AFR and Westpac 100 Women of Influence, Rotary Paul Harris Fellow, Former People of Australia Ambassador and Former Lifeline Counsellor, former Board member NSW Council for Women’s Economic Opportunity, I’m running to extend my community service to serving as a Councillor.

Through my active involvement with local Rotary club, precincts and community groups, I’ve heard that residents want better representation.

I lead a team of locals in North Sydney with over 50 years’ experience across different sectors such as legal, health, project management, hospitality, engineering and building ecosystems, and have skills that are best suited to serving the needs of residents.

What do you think are the pressing needs of the local community in your area?

• Improve governance and accountability to open the North Sydney pool by advocating for the establishment of a Steering Committee to regularly review the status of pool 
• Reduce cost of living pressures by ensuring that Council spends ratepayers’ monies carefully (e.g. upcoming litigation against designer of pool) and review paperless parking tickets and the new parking meters and reviewing carparking policies
• Listen to and consult residents to enhance the sustainability of local villages, and set up more face-to-face meetings, online consultation and advocating to bring back a popularly elected Mayor
• Prioritise pedestrian safety and traffic calming
• Preserve green and open spaces and improve playground and sporting facilities
• Speed up the review of DAs by an overhaul of current systems
• Take action to reduce the high rate of Domestic Violence and mental health problems
• Lobby all levels of government to oppose the possible introduction of two-way tolls to the Harbour Bridge

  

There is much disillusionment with politics and politicians in current times. What would you do to change that public perception?

Pallavi Sinha: I would bring the focus of work as a Councillor on good governance, integrity, accountability transparency and serving the best interests of the residents of the North Sydney local government area. I would work constructively with other Councillors. 

Tell us a bit about your background.

Pallavi Sinha: My parents migrated to Australia from India over I was born in Auburn Hospital.

I completed Economics (Social Sciences) and law degrees from Sydney University.

I’ve worked as a Lawyer or Notary Public or Lecturer for over 20 years. I’m the Founder and CEO of Lawyers with Solutions which provides education and legal services.

In the past, I’ve worked as a Solicitor in the Planning and Environment and Corporate Advisory section at King and Wood Mallesons and I’ve lectured Commercial Law at the Australian Catholic University North Sydney, and at the College of Law St Leonards.

I’ve served on Boards such as NSW Council for Women’s Economic Opportunity, and have significant policy and advocacy experience, such as organising small business and community consultations. As Chair of a community organisation, I successfully lobbied for changes to legislation to increase access to justice, and as Appointed Supporter Joint Federal and State Government Campaign to Stop DV, I launched the campaign at SBS, and appeared in promotional campaign videos. 

For more details head to www.pallavisinha.com

Read more: Know your Local Council candidate: Vivek Goyal (Canada Bay)