 | Charles Jago, a current Greens councillor and candidate for mayor, leads the Greens team. A long-term local resident, he understands local issues such as transport, childcare, libraries and sustainability. His professional experience includes the energy, information technology, adult education and community development sectors. See more. |
 | Dr Tailoi Ling, a 50 year Canada Bay resident, is an ophthalmology scientist. Active in the community, her concerns include the environment, more infrastructure to support housing and urban food production. She says, “Council offers the opportunity to improve the wellbeing and health of all in Canada Bay.” See more. |
 | Neil Smith, a 32 year Canada Bay resident, is an engineer working locally in the rail industry, a long-term environmentalist and a keen cyclist. See more. |
 | Pauline Tyrrell, during her 12 years as a Greens Councillor on Canada Bay Council, championed residents’ rights, promoted community programs and lobbied for a new primary school for Concord West. She is now a Canada Bay Bushcare volunteer. See more. |
 | Tony Adams, a sustainability specialist in the finance industry, has recently completed a Masters in Environmental Science. |
Dr Tailoi Ling
Deep local connections, insights and a strong interest to contribute to making our local community the best it can be. I have lived in the Drummoyne municipality for over 50 years. I grew up in Chiswick and attended Abbotsford Primary School followed by studies at Fort Street High School. I then studied for 10 years at the University of NSW, where I gained a Bachelor and Master of Optometry, followed by a PhD on the effects of cataract surgery on the eye, contributing to improvements in Cataract surgery. This makes me sound like a book worm and a bit of a nerd, but it was actually a tremendous and fun opportunity, to be part of a new cohort of young women able to participate at the highest international level in Science and Technology.
After my PhD, I spent the next 28 years at the University of Sydney as a scientist where I held a National Health & Medical Research Council Principal Research Fellowship and was appointed as Professor of Developmental Neurobiology and Visual Science in 2009. In layman’s terms, I studied the causes of eye diseases and contributed to the development of the eye injection treatment given to the elderly who develop age-related macular degeneration. During this time, I have been awarded a number of Research Awards for outstanding contribution to eye research and advancement of knowledge. I also trained over 20 PhD students and 40 of my mentees have won young investigator awards. This was followed with a period as Chief Scientific Officer of GreenLight Clinical.
During my 3 decades of professional life, I have held numerous executive and committee positions in Scientific Societies, Universities and Community Organisations. I am trained in mental health first aid and governance, holding GAICD and WOBSX alumni qualifications. I enjoy contributing my time and expertise to various charitable organisations and am currently Chair of the Board of Sydney Community College and Chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee Vision Sciences Stream, of the Rebecca L Cooper Medical Research Foundation.
As a scientist, I was blessed in having many opportunities to travel to international conferences and despite having opportunities to live elsewhere, looking out the plane window on landing always re-assured me that Canada Bay is where I want to live. I continued to work full-time while raising 2 children, Matthew and Katherine, so life has always been hectic in the Ling household.
Having worked in a chronically underfunded industry of biomedical research in my career, I recognise the need for fiscal responsibility and the need to ‘do the most possible with limited funds and that one must be as careful with taxpayer funds as if it was our own’.
I now have the ability and strong desire to give back to the community which has offered me so much in my life and which I understand intimately both from a geographical, economical and multi-cultural standpoint.
The significant changes now being imposed on Canada Bay Council by the Department of Planning makes it essential that Councillors have a deep understanding of how to meet the competing needs of our constituents. My PhD training has given me an ability to think deeply, solve complex problems, and to drive innovation. This combined with my diverse life experience ideally places me in a good position to work for the advancement of the Canada Bay area if I am elected as a new Councillor. I feel that the local government level offers a great opportunity to impact the wellbeing and health of all in Canada Bay and that is the reason I am standing as a Councillor.
I am now serving my 3rd term on the Environment Advisory Committee for Canada Bay Council where we have spearheaded the education campaign to reduce single-use plastics, championed increase in urban canopy and reduction of organic waste via worm farms and composting. I was part of the first management committee that helped to establish the community Garden in Concord, but I now garden in my own backyard, as I am in the process of turning it into a small urban food forest with an emphasis on biodiversity and permaculture principles. During these times of high cost of living, I encourage helping each other in the community by starting a produce/food swap at the monthly Drummoyne Community Markets.
My Priority Areas for Canada Bay:
- More infrastructure to support the rise in housing density
- Enhanced public transport and road design to reduce traffic congestion
- Increase in both social and affordable housing in perpetuity as part of increased housing density
- Reinvigoration of Drummoyne peninsular Town Centres and Main Streets
- Enhanced Community education/engagement to ‘Think global-act local’ to protect the environment’ for future generations
- Enhance parks, open spaces and Parramatta River for community health and well-being.
I look forward to continuing my support to the Canada Bay Community and The Greens in Canada Bay.
Neil Smith
I grew up in England, but have now lived more of my life in Canada Bay. I have 2 adult children living in Sydney.
I have been involved with the Greens (Green Party in UK) since I stood in Council Elections in Trafford in 1990, receiving 187 votes at 4%. Not world changing, but it was a promising time in that we had just gained 14.5% of the vote in the 1989 European Elections.
It has been great to be a small part of the growth of this movement for over 30 years, and for coming up to 8 years in Canada Bay.
I am a Chartered Mechanical Engineer, more recently involved in train design and manufacture in Australia, including several years working on long term transport planning initiatives. I work in rail because, when done well, it can be a critical element in building liveable and sustainable cities. I am passionate about mentoring students and engineers through the early part of their STEM and engineering careers. And in building equitable and ethical processes into business.
I have recently moved to part time work to spend more time in different activities and have several current volunteer activities underway:
- Chairing a Control Group to manage the refurbishment of a heritage Church in La Perouse with a local Aboriginal organisation
- Working with a teacher as part of CSIRO’s STEM Professionals in Schools, building a new STEM course for Year 9/10 students at a NW Sydney School
- Supporting UTS Students as they finish their Industrial placements
- Volunteering with Birdlife Australia at Newington, and
- Canada Bay Bushcare groups.
I am a keen cyclist, bird and wildlife watcher and believe we have magnificent opportunities in Canada Bay to improve our active transport and wildlife environments. The recent successful nesting of Ospreys in Canada Bay is a promising sign.
I have been vegetarian for over 30 years, largely for animal welfare reasons.
I look forward to continuing to support the Greens in Canada Bay.