“People can see my track-record at Kogarah and the achievements for my residents, and I’d like to do that for the seat of Barton.”

As Mayor of Kogarah, Nickolas Varvaris has been at the helm of the Sydney council that has won a host of local, national and international awards for sustainability and improving the lives of its residents.
On September 7, he takes his credentials earned in local government to the national stage, and will ask Barton’s electorate to end Labor’s recent domination of the seat.
With Barton’s current member – former Attorney-General Robert McClelland (who has held the seat since 1996) – retiring, the changed political landscape may pay dividends for the Liberal candidate.
“Robert retiring does change the game a bit. He’s been the member here for 17 years and was very well liked,” Varvaris told Neos Kosmos this week.
“I’m going to give it my best shot – to look after the interests of the locality.
“A lot of people are saying it’s about time we had some change in Barton. They understand that it’s a good area but could be better.”
As a safe Labor seat with a winning margin of almost 7 per cent at the 2010 election (despite an 8 per cent swing against Labor), Varvaris says Barton hasn’t been given the attention it deserves, and he’s banking on voters acknowledging the success Kogarah has experienced under his guidance.
“People can see my track-record and the achievements for my residents, and I’d like to do that for the seat of Barton.”
Varvaris, who grew up in the electorate and is the son of its former local priest, says his aim is “to serve the community, improve people’s lives, and to make our place a better place to live in”.
“That’s what I strive to do and that’s what I believe I have done locally.”
Kogarah City Council has been widely acknowledged for its work in developing sustainable business and environmental practices.
In 2012 the council won a Gold Award for improving the quality of life of its citizens at the UN-endorsed International Awards for Liveable Communities.
“We’ve set the benchmark for other local government areas to follow,” says Varvaris.
“It’s strange for people to say you have to be a Greens candidate or Labor to deliver such projects. We delivered them and we continue to deliver them.”
Asked what the major single policy difference was between the Coalition and Labor, Varvaris points to the economy.
“The Coalition’s economic policy is more ambitious, more realistic and more achievable,” he says.
“It’s about living within your means and delivering jobs. It’s about cutting red-tape, helping small business, and making it easier for people to do business.”
Barton’s other candidates in the 2013 Federal Election are Steve McMahon (ALP), Edward Caruana (Palmer United Australia), Rod Wyse (Katter’s Australian Party) and Jackie Brooker (Greens).