Clover Moore facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore AO
Moore in 2015
82nd Lord Mayor of Sydney
Incumbent
Assumed office 27 March 2004
Deputy	See list John McInerney Verity Firth Chris Harris Tony Pooley Marcelle Hoff Phillip Black Marcelle Hoff Robert Kok Robyn Kemmis Irene Doutney Kerryn Phelps Jess Miller Linda Scott Jess Scully Sylvie Ellsmore Robert Kok
Preceded by	Lucy Turnbull
Member of the New South Wales Parliament for Sydney
In office 24 March 2007 – 20 September 2012
Preceded by	District re-created
Succeeded by	Alex Greenwich
Member of the New South Wales Parliament for Bligh
In office 19 March 1988 – 24 March 2007
Preceded by	Michael Yabsley
Succeeded by	District abolished
Alderman of the City of Sydney for Redfern Ward
In office 1 January 1982 – 26 March 1987
Alderman of the South Sydney Municipal Council for Redfern Ward
In office 20 September 1980 – 31 December 1981
Personal details
Born	Clover Margaret Collins (1945-10-22) 22 October 1945 (age 79) Gordon, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Political party	Independent
Other political affiliations	Clover Moore Independents
Spouse	Peter Moore
Education	Loreto Kirribilli
Alma mater	University of Sydney Sydney Teachers' College
Signature

Clover Margaret Moore AO (born 22 October 1945) is an Australian politician. She has been the Lord Mayor of the City of Sydney since 2004. She is the longest-serving Lord Mayor of Sydney since the city was created in 1842. Before becoming Lord Mayor, she was an independent member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. She represented the areas of Bligh (1988–2007) and Sydney (2007–2012). Clover Moore is the first woman to be chosen as Lord Mayor of Sydney by popular vote.

Early Life and Education

Clover Margaret Collins was born on 22 October 1945. She grew up in Gordon, a suburb on Sydney's North Shore.

She went to school at Loreto Kirribilli and Elm Court Dominican Convent. Later, she studied at the University of Sydney. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1969. She also received a Diploma of Education from the Sydney Teachers' College.

After finishing her studies, she became an English and history teacher. She taught at St Ives High School and Fort Street High School. She then moved to London to teach for several years. Clover married Peter Moore, who is an architect, before they returned to Australia.

Working in Local Government

As a young mother, Clover Moore became involved in a local community group. This group worked to improve their neighbourhood. In 1980, she decided to run for a position on the local council. She wanted to make changes after a disagreement about a local park. The mayor at the time wanted to replace the park's grass with asphalt.

Moore was elected as an independent council member for Redfern Ward. This was for the South Sydney Municipal Council. In December 1981, the New South Wales Government combined the South Sydney Council with the City of Sydney. Moore then became a council member for the new Sydney City Council. She became well-known for speaking up on community issues. She cared about the environment, protecting old buildings, and keeping heritage sites safe.

In 1984, Moore was re-elected to the Redfern Ward. She received many votes, showing strong support from the community. She continued to be a strong voice for protecting heritage and the environment. In 1986, Moore began campaigning to become Sydney's first female Lord Mayor. She wanted to bring a "breath of fresh air" to the city's leadership. However, in March 1987, the state government removed the Sydney City Council. They appointed a group of commissioners to run the city instead. Moore and other former council members formed "Independent Watch." This group watched the commissioners' decisions and pushed for new elections.

Becoming a Member of Parliament

Clover Moore's state electorate office on Oxford Street, Paddington, in 2010

Instead of running for council again, Moore decided to run for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. This is like a state parliament. She ran as an independent in the 1988 election. She won the seat of Bligh, beating the Liberal Party candidate.

In 1991, she helped write the New South Wales Charter of Reform of Government. She was re-elected for a second term with much more support. Her influence grew when she and two other independent members gained a lot of power in the Legislative Assembly. This meant their votes were very important for passing laws.

She continued to win her seat easily in the 1995 and 1999 elections. The LGBT community showed their appreciation for her support. They included her likeness in the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade. She was re-elected again in 2003.

Before the 2007 election, the voting areas were changed. Her seat of Bligh was renamed "Sydney." It was moved to include the Sydney city centre. Moore was elected to this new seat.

Even though she was an independent, Moore often worked with other smaller parties. She resigned as a state MP because of new state laws. These laws stopped people from holding both a state parliament job and a local council job at the same time. After she was re-elected as mayor in 2012, she had to leave her state parliament seat. She had held this seat for 24 years. This led to a special election in Sydney in 2012. She supported another independent candidate, Alex Greenwich, who won the election.

Lord Mayor of Sydney

In early 2004, the Labor Party government combined the City of Sydney and South Sydney Councils. This decision was a surprise to many. It was thought that this move would help the Labor candidate win the Lord Mayor position. However, Clover Moore decided to run for Lord Mayor. She called the council's removal a "grab for power."

Moore won the election easily, getting more than double the votes of the Labor candidate. This made her the first woman to be chosen as Lord Mayor of Sydney by popular vote.

In the 2008 local government elections, Moore was re-elected as Lord Mayor. She was re-elected again in 2012, though with a smaller lead. At the 2016 election, she won comfortably, increasing her votes.

In October 2010, Moore broke her ankle while getting off her bike. This happened on "Ride to Work Day." She had to attend some events in a wheelchair.

Making Sydney More Energy Efficient

Under Clover Moore's leadership, the City of Sydney aims to greatly reduce carbon emissions. Their goal is to cut emissions by 70 percent by the year 2030. To achieve this, the city has done many things. They have installed special lanes for bicycles. They have also changed their city car fleet to use hybrid vehicles. The city has planted 10,000 trees to help the environment. They have also created 600 on-street car-share spaces.

Sydney has installed its largest solar power system on a building. They have also set up water harvesting systems in 11 large parks. The city council also voted to install two new trigeneration plants. These plants produce electricity, heating, and cooling all at once.

Moore stated in 2018 that Sydney's emissions had been cut by 52% since 2006. Water use had also gone down by 36%. The city's goal is to become carbon neutral. This means they want to have no net release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Building and City Improvements

Clover Moore has overseen the building of several important projects. These include the Surry Hills City of Sydney Library. She also oversaw the Reg Bartley Oval grandstand and kiosk in Rushcutters Bay. Another project was Pirrama Park in Pyrmont.

She also introduced a system of cycleways (bike paths) in Sydney. Some residents were not happy about these paths. They felt the paths reduced parking spaces. Critics also questioned the cost of these projects. However, other groups, like school principals, supported them. The Bourke Street Cycleway even won a Sydney Design Award in 2012. The state government removed one cycleway, but it was later put back. They also helped fund another one on Oxford Street. This was because cycling increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Challenges and Discussions

In 2007, Moore suggested a new law. This law would ban the sale of dogs, cats, and other mammals in pet stores in New South Wales. It would also stop the breeding of mixed-breed dogs. The pet industry did not agree with this idea. However, the RSPCA Australia supported the measure.

In 2014, the state government introduced a new law about voting in Sydney. This law changed how businesses voted. Instead of one optional vote, businesses had two compulsory votes. Many people thought this law was designed to make it harder for Moore to win elections. However, the change did not affect the election results much. It also caused over 30,000 businesses to be fined for not voting. The cost of keeping the business register was about $1 million a year. In the 2021 election, Moore was re-elected. In late 2023, the Labor Party changed the law back. Now, each business has one optional vote again.

Between 2014 and 2017, the cost of a steel sculpture called Cloud Arch increased. It was planned for George Street. Its budget went from A$3.5 million to 11.3 million dollars. People criticized the rising cost and whether it fit the city's look.

In 2023, Moore suggested reducing the Moore Park Golf Course from 18 holes to 9. The idea was to create a new public park. Golfers criticized this plan. They thought Moore was doing it for her own benefit, as she lives nearby. The state government supports this change. The park is currently in its planning stages. In June 2025, the government set aside $20 million for this project. This money will help turn most of the northern part of the golf course into public open space.

Honours

Clover Moore was given a special award in 2023. She was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Australia. This award is for "distinguished service to local government." It also recognizes her work for the people and Parliament of New South Wales, and the community of Sydney.

See also

In Spanish: Clover Moore para niños