Message from the Mayor

Published on 21 February 2025

Read the update from our Mayor Christine Kay about what is happening in Ku-ring-gai.

Mayor's message 21 February

For your interest, I have issued a statement regarding the Councillors' workshop conducted earlier this month. You can read about the outcomes of the workshop and what was discussed here.

As we move into the cooler months of autumn, there are plenty of activities and events happening across Ku-ring-gai.

During March Council is hosting or promoting 39 free and paid activities as part of its 2025 Seniors Festival. This is a great opportunity to enjoy events as diverse as river cruises, seniors ballet and artificial intelligence talks.

Meanwhile, on 23 March, we’re holding Ku-ring-gai’s first Multicultural Festival at St Ives Showground.

This event will feature music and dance performances, workshops and stalls with community information and food from around the world.

In other news, we are currently seeking feedback on our draft Green Grid Strategy, which outlines a proposed network of green and shady routes between parks and retail centres.

And I’m also excited to see that Council has published a new map showing existing and planned Council-backed electric vehicle charging locations. Between August 2024 and January 2025 Council’s EV chargers delivered 110,000 kWh of power, enough to allow a single car to drive around Australia 40 times.

Electric vehicle charging will help Ku-ring-gai Council meet its target of net zero community carbon emissions by 2040.

Mayor Christine Kay

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7 February

This month the Council is consulting the community about minimum lot sizes for dual occupancy developments in Ku-ring-gai.

The NSW Government has changed the rules on dual occupancy housing, meaning it can be built on many residential sites with some exceptions. Council is seeking feedback on two minimum lot size options which seek to manage local planning impacts. Have your say before Thursday 20 February.

I am passionate about retaining the essential workers so essential to our community, as well as providing housing for vulnerable people in Ku-ring-gai. Our draft Affordable Housing Policy outlines how Council will support new permanent affordable housing with rents aimed at people on low to moderate incomes.

The draft policy is a great step in the right direction for improving local housing affordability and I’d encourage you to give feedback by 3 March.

The Council has set up a Smart Transport Advisory Committee and we’re looking for community members who’d like to help advise us on transport options that reduce car use.

We especially want to hear from young people, women, residents with a multicultural background and those with a disability. Applications are open until Friday 28 February at Smart Transport Advisory Committee Ku-ring-gai.

Our ever popular Lunar New Year food market is at St Ives Village Green today Friday 7 February between 5pm and 9pm with delicious food, amusement rides, craft and face painting under the lanterns. I hope to see you there!

Mayor Christine Kay

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23 January

It’s been a dramatic start to the year in Ku-ring-gai, with the local area lashed by storms and gale force winds in the last two weeks.

Council received 278 requests including those for clearing trees and debris left over from the storms. This was in addition to the many requests made to the NSW State Emergency Service and Ausgrid.

Our sincere thanks to the NSW SES, RFS, Council staff and Ausgrid for your extraordinary efforts to manage the hundreds of clean-up requests following the storms.

On Sunday 26 January we will be welcoming 240 people from 37 countries as they take their citizenship pledge at the Australia Day ceremony at Knox Grammar School. The winners of the 2025 Ku-ring-gai Local Citizen of the Year Awards will also be announced at this event.

In the afternoon between 1pm and 5pm the Ku-ring-gai Fitness & Aquatic Centre will host a pool party featuring a BBQ, face painting, free entertainment and a poolside DJ. Entry is by gold coin donation and everyone is welcome.

I am looking forward to celebrating the Year of the Snake with our Lunar New Year festivities over the next few weeks. Celebrations will include the popular Lunar New Year food market at St Ives Village Green and some fun activities at the Ku-ring-gai Wildflower Garden, Gordon Library and the Ku-ring-gai Art Centre.

Thank you to everyone who provided submissions during the public exhibition of the Council’s alternatives to the NSW Government’s transport-oriented development planning controls. Our planning team is now assessing all your feedback for a report to be presented to Council at next month’s meeting.

Between 22 January and 20 February we will also be exhibiting alternatives to the state government’s proposed changes for minimum lot sizes for dual occupancies. You can find out more at our engagement hub.