Who am I?
My name is Marc Lane, and I was one of your elected representatives on Council from 14 October 2024 - 14 October 2026.
I resigned after two years in office, because the toxicity of the chamber was affecting my mental health, particularly the behaviour of the Liberal majority. Indeed I feel a large portion of time spent in the chamber was broadcasting for the benefit of an audience outside the chamber or even the LGA. There are also substantive issues to do with meeting conduct and policy formation (such as the Social Media Policy) - matters raised with the OLG - as well as obfuscation from staff which stymied genuine debate. I have no doubt that these issues are not unique, nevertheless they affected me, and after much deliberation, I took my doctor’s advice to prioritise my own health.
I remain passionate about public space and public life, and will continue to work with government and in private enterprise on great public outcomes for communities as I have done since 2005. My background is in City Planning, Urban Design and Policy and am always happy to talk on these issues.
What do I stand for?
I've spent nearly 20 years creating frameworks, policy, doing design, consulting and delivering public space design in Sydney, London and Dubai, and I understand the importance of good governance.
As a councillor, I represent nearly 40% of South Ward residents who voted for our independent ticket, and the principled, strategic and long-term view that they wish to see council take.
I know first-hand the importance of quality design and how it can enhance the local character of Hunters Hill where we all have chosen to live, having worked at the NSW Government Architect as well as a local who has just renovated.
I led the Design and Place SEPP work for NSW Government, a policy that would have put quality at the forefront of the planning system. I will continue to robustly defend design quality throughout my term.
I am qualified in architecture and law, and have worked for government (Transport for London, the NSW Department of Planning and Environment), law (Mallesons Stephen Jaques) and architecture firms (Jahn & Associates) and a range of built environment consultancies (WSP, Urbis, Arup etc) throughout my career. I am also a strategic thinker and advise governments at multiple levels on policy and implementation.
One of the many things I love about Hunters Hill is that it is part of the ‘Blue Highway’ of over 800,000 Sydneysiders that live near a ferry wharf. Ferries are one of the few transport modes that are not only sustainable but also an absolute pleasure to catch - when they run. I supported Jim in setting up a Movement and Transport Advisory Committee, and (through that committee) drafting a proposed ITS which stated the importance of the ferries (buses, walking and cycling), and why.
Of course this is not the only area where this kind of strategy is needed. We need to do the same around the housing growth we are being required to meet, so that we don’t end up with development in the wrong places. The many fights residents have already put up over Pulpits Point and the Goat Paddock, among other places, speaks to the urgent need for this. When I was in the NSW Government Architect, I lead the Design and Place State Environmental Planning Policy, including a new Urban Design Guide, and I know the difference we could make if we had better policies in place to encourage people not only to build in the right place, but to build beautifully, and sustainably, as well.
We also need a better understanding of council owned land, and a spatial strategy for its use, before we sell off critical parcels and lose the ability for linked foreshore land.
What makes a good politician?
What makes a good politician - or perhaps to put it more accurately, what makes a good representative of your interests?
I ran as an independent because I believe that hard work is required to make a good place greater - and that the art of winning should not be mistaken for the art of good governance. To me, this is the contrast between two old Latin phrases about politics:
Panem et Circenses - Bread and Circuses - this is what most people think about when they describe a politician. Someone who keeps their electorate distracted from the real issues through sausage sizzles and blood sports. This ethos divides the world into winners and losers.
Panem Bonum Fert - He Makes Good Bread - the classic Roman praise for a good political candidate. Said to come from when bakers made the best candidates - hardworking, consistent, honest and experienced - those who engaged with people every day. Despite Hollywood, Romans valued those that gave them their daily bread, not just their silver-tongued orators.
To me, the best representative is the latter, someone who will consider every issue, and your opinions as they are expressed. I hope that you agree, and that you see those qualities in me.