Q: The West End broadly is a hub for education, health, arts, and culture. What specific policies will you advocate for to foster stronger collaboration between these sectors and ensure the West End continues to attract and retain creative talent, students, and professionals?

A: When I worked and studied in the West End, what the precinct needed then is much the same as it needs now: safety, activation, and a mix of businesses that make it a place to stay - not just pass through.

The West End knows what it needs. Council’s job is to listen and act.

We must back the Hindley Street Mainstreet upgrade and support efforts to fill vacant shopfronts and rebalance the tenancy mix. That means continuing support for Renew Adelaide, expanding incentives for local operators, and coordinating with building owners to

attract diverse hospitality, retail, and arts businesses that trade during both the day and night.

I want to see safer, more welcoming streets; better lighting, improved public amenities, and continued collaboration through the Hindley Street Round Table. Public space activation is also key. The Wauwi Park Party by duck! radio showed what’s possible. Council must fund everyday infrastructure; seating, shade, perhaps a fenced playground, to make Light Square usable all year round.

Above all, whatever we do must support a refreshed identity for the West End. One that reflects its energy, creativity, and diversity. It’s time we invest in the creative quarter Adelaide already has.

Q: The Hindley Street upgrade project aims to revitalize a key main street in the West End that is half of the city’s main commercial artery in length. Beyond its completion, what are your ongoing strategies to ensure the upgraded Hindley Street truly becomes a safer, more vibrant, and economically beneficial space for businesses, residents, and visitors, particularly concerning its nighttime economy?

A: Bringing people into the precinct is key. A vibrant, safe Hindley Street isn’t just about upgraded infrastructure, it’s about building a welcoming, inclusive community that feels safe and connected.

Lighting, surveillance, and a visible security presence all help, but they’re just one part of the solution. We need to back community-led approaches that focus on early intervention and wellbeing, not just enforcement. That means funding trained outreach workers and

programs that engage with people before issues escalate.We need activation that brings life to the street across the whole day, not just at night. That includes investment in public spaces, seating, lighting, and events that draw students,

workers, residents, and creatives into the precinct, especially during quieter periods. Once the upgrade is complete, Council must stay involved: test what’s working, listen to feedback, and adapt. Do residents feel safe? Are businesses supported? Is the tenancy mix right? If not, we need to respond - not years later, but quickly. The Hindley Street upgrade is a huge opportunity. Let’s make sure it leads to a truly inclusive, thriving street, not just one that looks ‘nicer’.

Q: The Light Square Master Plan outlines significant improvements for this important public space. How will you prioritise and ensure the effective and timely implementation of this master plan to create a more inviting, functional, and well-utilised community asset for West End residents and the broader city?

A: Master Plans are great. They promise big change, investment, transformation, a better future. But from what I’ve read in the Light Square / Wauwi Draft Master Plan, delivery is still dependent on future council decisions, prioritisation, and funding. As InDaily reported in February 2025, a council spokesperson confirmed that the plan is in its early stages, with $250,000 allocated this year for detailed design work, and no total project cost or construction timeline yet determined (Helen Karakulak, InDaily, Feb 12, 2025).

To me, it’s clear: this precinct needs prioritisation now! I’ll continue to back investment in the long-term vision, especially plans to expand green space, improve safety, and make the Square more usable for all.

But we also need action now.

The traders and residents I’ve spoken to, are not asking for perfection - they’re asking for safety, more seating, and activation. These are small things Council can deliver now, without waiting on a multi-year capital works program.

Let’s pilot improvements, support local events, and make Light Square feel active and safe on an everyday basis. We can invest in the future and show up for the present.

Q: The West End boasts a unique laneway culture and vibrant nightlife. How do you plan to support existing small businesses, encourage new and diverse ventures, and enhance the safety and appeal of these spaces for both residents and visitors, especially during evening hours?

A: During COVID, I’d walk my dog to the Intersection Traders window, then operating out of the West Oak Hotel. It was a tough time for the precinct, the city was eerily quiet, and nightlife had come to a standstill. But that little café showed something powerful: even in

crisis, the West End could adapt. A morning coffee window inside a pub usually known for its night trade. In that quiet, it became clear just how important adaptability and dual use are to the resilience of this area. We need more of that.

I’ll continue to support initiatives like Renew Adelaide and explore new ways to activate underutilised spaces; not just for late-night trade, but for small-scale retail, studios, pop-

ups, and creative businesses that add life across the day. Laneways, courtyards, and quiet corners can all become part of the West End’s economic and cultural fabric.

On safety: I’ve said it before - this isn’t just about lighting and enforcement. It’s about a whole-of-community response, where Council actively listens to those on the ground: traders, residents, precinct groups. They know what’s working and what’s not.

Q: The West End's skyline is evolving. How will you balance the need for new development with the preservation of the area's distinct character and ensure that growth benefits existing communities including businesses?

A: The West End’s evolving skyline brings opportunity, but growth must be done with care. This precinct has a distinct character rooted in culture, education, creativity, and community. Development can’t come at the cost of what makes the West End worth building in.

We need planning policies that prioritise character and community benefit. That means protecting heritage where it exists, mixed-use development, and making sure new builds contribute to street-level vibrancy, not just skyline impact.

Growth must also benefit existing businesses and residents. That starts with genuine community consultation, not just notification, and ensuring developments deliver public value. Whether it's affordable commercial tenancies, public art, or upgraded laneways and

open spaces, developers should be expected to contribute to the precinct's cultural and economic fabric.

Crucially, we must link development to livability. Is there shade on the street? Affordable food nearby? Creative spaces to work and gather? These are the questions that shape whether people stay, create, and invest in the West End.

Growth is coming, that’s certain. But how we grow, who benefits, and what we protect along the way is up to us. I’ll always advocate for development that strengthens, not erases, this precinct’s identity.