PS: Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore pulls no punches in Christmas address
It was a victory speech three months in the making, and one many seriously doubted she would ever get a chance to deliver.
But despite the naysayers, Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore had a captive audience under the chandeliers at Town Hall on Tuesday night for her annual Christmas reception.
Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore had a captive audience under the chandeliers at Town Hall for her annual Christmas reception.
As hundreds of guests representing all walks of life across Sydney, from flash millionaire property developers in sharp suits to heritage architects in heritage cardigans, poured into the grand old hall, perhaps a clue as to what was about to unfold could be found in the pipe organist's choice of music: the Game Of Thrones theme.
Indeed it set a particularly ominous tone despite the Christmas trees and fairy lights, though there was no sign of the Iron Throne on the stage.
Clover Moore delivered a potent, 45-minute oration at her 2016 Christmas party.
Instead Moore was standing at the front door shaking hands and welcoming each and every one of us, though her wide smile was not giving away much.
It wasn't until Moore took to the lectern and delivered a potent, 45-minute oration in which she took sharp aim at various ministers of Mike Baird's NSW Government, that it became clear that Moore was not intending to pull any punches.
In her line of fire was Transport and Infrastructure Minister Andrew Constance, who copped a loud and definite booing from the crowd when Moore raised a few of the more contentious issues the council is currently facing: the "unnecessary" destruction of ancient fig trees to make way for the new light rail and the looming West Connex aftermath.
"It doesn't have to be this way – like other cities around the world, Sydney can become greener while accommodating essential infrastructure," she declared, to roars of approval. It remains to be seen if Constance was listening.
Even the sound of a distant fire alarm was not enough to halt Moore's speech, a momentary pause and reassurance that "there is nothing to worry about", she quickly resumed, full-steam ahead.
Senior journalist Andrew Hornery is the man behind The Sydney Morning Herald's Private Sydney column. If they are worth knowing about, they are on the PS radar.
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