19 Aug 2024

Bec Cooke, Labor – West Ward

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What is your name, political party and electorate?

Bec Cooke, Labor and I have the privilege of running in the West Ward.

Are you running for mayor and if so, why?

No, not me – but I think Bernard Purcell will be an excellent Mayor and support him wholeheartedly.

Tell us about your background both personally and professionally

I’m a young mum of two young boys aged 6 and 3. With my partner Kyle, we chose Ryde when moving to Sydney for work and we’ve here for nearly 5 years and have fallen in love with the community as a whole. Though I haven’t been here an awfully long time, I’ve made the most of it and have served on the committee of North Ryde RSL Netball Club, volunteered with the Holy Cross Rhinos JRLFC and in my son’s school.

I also work full time in the Media industry in planning and client management at a large media agency. My day-to-day sees me managing multi-million dollar accounts with very large teams to coordinate – there’s never a dull day, and all of these things keep me very busy!

What are some things you love about your electorate?

I love how kind and generous the people of Ryde are. Like so many families in Ryde and the greater Sydney area, my family lives a long way from my home and so many caring individuals have offered to help be a village for my family, and I’ve seen the same offer to others.  I also value the multiculturalism that is celebrated across the district and the inclusivity that is displayed by the larger community as a whole.

What do you believe are the 3 main issues affecting your electorate and why?

  1. Lack of affordable housing and amenities

As a young, working parent who relies on before and after-school care and childcare to fund a lifestyle where my kids can thrive, I think we’ve been given the short-end of the stick when it comes to housing for families, essential workers and others that both meets the needs to a growing area and the amenities required for the quality of life we all deserve.

  1. Council infrastructure

One of the reasons we chose to live in Ryde was the infrastructure that had recently opened, were almost to be opened or big things to come which excited me. As someone who has lived outside of Ryde, I know what great councils can do – and the Heart of Ryde should be what a great council should aspire to. Over the last 3 years, I’ve seen project after project stalled or cancelled, whether that be EV charging for a sustainable future, an upgrade to the Glen St carpark in Eastwood or something as simple as a safe way to walk to my local public school ignored by the Liberal led majority.

  1. Local Government to be proud of

I’d love for the reputation of Ryde Council to be that of a council that listens and acts. We’ve had enough of lip service and we all deserve to be represented in an effective way.

What are the 3 key things you plan to achieve if elected?

I’d love to deliver on the 3 points above! I’d work with council to improve our relationship with State and Federal Government work to apply for grants in a timely manner to deliver additional infrastructure and services that the people of Ryde deserve. I’d work hard to deliver the Heart of Ryde, upgrades to the Glen St carpark and the greater West Ryde masterplan to make our district more liveable and finally, I’d work hard for you – no matter if you voted for me or not and hope you make you proud of Ryde Council as a whole.

What about your long term vision for the area?

The Labor team have a united vision for Ryde – a future-thinking region that has the resources for families of all ages and make-ups to enjoy and share for years to come. We want Ryde to be safe, accessible, progressive and proactive in it’s approaches to the needs of it’s residents.

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