• MOIRA WERE

    2026 Election Coming Soon

    Candidate nominations will open with the Electoral Commission of SA on 25 August 2926 and close at noon on 8 September 2026.

    Ballot papers will arrive between 15 October and 21 October 2026.

    Your ballot needs to be returned in the poast by 11 November 2026.

    I will be nominating for Mayor of the City of Onkaparinga. This is a role I have been privileged to hold since November 2022.

    As a voter in the City of Onkaparinga, you are on the largest job interview panel in South Australia. In October, you get to choose your next Mayor.

    I am asking you to choose me.

    I live in Sellicks Beach, around the corner from my daughter, son-in-law, and two grandsons. I have raised a family and led organisations in both community and corporate settings. I know what families are juggling every day — and I do not take it for granted.

    I have been a part of this community since the 1990s. I am not going anywhere. I am here for the long haul.

    I am calm and steady. I know how to manage multi-million dollar budgets with wisdom and common sense. I know how to work across all spheres of government, business, and community — from the kitchen table to the cabinet table.

    Most importantly, I hear all the voices — not just the loudest ones — and I weigh up the evidence to reach decisions that are informed, creative, and compassionate.

    In 2019, I received an Order of Australia (AM) for decades of community service. Not because I sought recognition, but because I showed up — consistently — for this community.

    I respect First Nations cultural, economic, and ecological knowledge, and I bring that respect to every decision at the council table.

    I am a grandmother.

    I refuse to leave behind a legacy of short-term thinking.

    Our grandchildren deserve decisions that outlast an electoral cycle.

    That is the standard I hold myself to — and it is why I ask for your vote.

    ps if you want to deep dive into my background click here

  • WHAT HAVE I DONE AS MAYOR

    1. Renewed our cultural heart

    I championed the refurbishment of Hopgood Theatre — and on reopening night, had the honour of presenting the Keys of the City to the Hon Don Hopgood, the man whose name it bears.

    2. Delivered a world-class aquatic facility

    I kept a close watch on the $15 million renewal of Noarlunga Aquatic Centre, ensuring it stays on track to open before summer 2026 — ready for our community to use and enjoy.

    3. Fought for fairer federal funding

    I took a motion to the National General Assembly in Canberra calling for an increase in Federal Assistance Grants — money that flows directly to councils and the communities they serve.

    4. Built a 10-year plan with the community

    I championed genuine community involvement in developing our 10-year Community Plan, setting ambitious new targets across community wellbeing, environmental sustainability, and affordability.

    5. Advanced reconciliation in a meaningful way

    I initiated the Mayor's Reconciliation Recognition Awards, creating a dedicated civic moment to acknowledge and celebrate the First Nations knowledge, culture, and leadership in our community.

    6. Celebrated the simple things that bind us

    I brought back the Mayor's Gardening Competition — because pride in where we live starts at home, and small things matter. I got kids reading with the Mayor's Summer Reading Challenge.

    7. Kept essential services in public hands

    I championed keeping our Community Wastewater Management System (CWMS) in public ownership, protecting ratepayers from privatisation and ensuring long-term community control.

    8. Showed up — in good times and hard ones

    I helped plant trees, attended hundreds of community events, hosted civic celebrations for volunteers, young leaders, business leaders, and coastal champions. I led community vigils and conversations during the harmful algal bloom crisis. I celebrated milestones like the 150th birthday of South Adelaide Football Club. And I grieved with our community when we lost leaders like Helen Oxenham OAM and long term councillor Artie Ferguson.

    9. Brought the world to our backyard

    I helped attract a world-class business innovation and investment festival to the McLaren Vale region, putting Onkaparinga on the map as a destination for ideas and enterprise.

    10. Answered the call — thousands of times

    I have responded personally to thousands of emails about roads, trees, sporting facilities, and community services.

    Accessible, responsive leadership is not a promise I make — it is what I do.

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