Dominic WY Kanak
Councillor for Waverley Council, Bondi Ward
Dominic WY Kanak
I was born on Yuwibara Country, Mackay, Queensland. I’m Torres Strait (Erub) and South Sea Islander (Epi). I’m a proud TI grandfather of a Murri-Yorta-Yorta Family.
I have been The Greens Councillor for Bondi Ward since 1999 and have held the positions of Deputy Mayor (2007-2008, 2017-2019) and Chair of East Region Local Government First Nations Forum. I am the President of the NSW Local Government Aboriginal Network.
My policy interests include protection of heritage, Community/Native Title/Crown Land & Water, ecological sustainability and resilience, social justice advocacy and supporting the homeless and isolated in Bondi.
Outside of politics, I appeared in ABC TV’s acclaimed “Redfern Now” in 2012, and was a Commonwealth Education Coordinator for the UN International Year for the World’s Indigenous Peoples.
My plan for Bondi Ward includes:
- Reactivate cultural life at Bondi Pavilion and provision of more performance spaces (reimagined amphitheatre)
- Maintaining height restrictions and art-deco heritage on Campbell Pde.
- Expanded affordable housing
- Continued advocacy for First Nations Truth & Justice, Treaty and Voice
- Changes to planning laws to prevent building collapses
- Taking local action on climate change
“I commit to using my First Nations principles of caring for country and people in all my work as your councillor”.
Greens Achievements
Despite the demands of the COVID-19 pandemic, our Council kept all staff employed, maintained services, provided financial support to local charities and businesses and will end the year with a small surplus.
- We have advocated strongly for climate action
- Stopped privatisation plan for Bondi Pavilion
- Supported Campbell Pde & Bondi kids Pool upgrades
- Initiated Council’s opposition to excavation in the Bondi sandbody
- Joined Waverley to the “Racism not welcome” street signs campaign
- Increased First Nations employment at Waverley Council

First Nations Peoples on council
Sovereignty, as the inherent right of First Nations Peoples to exercise custodianship over land, water and sky, is the system of governance that looks after Country and community. It so happens that it is also what local government is supposed to do for our contemporary municipal communities. It is what I have been striving through since first being elected to boondiboondi Bondi ward Waverley Council as a Waverley Greens councillor at the turn of the century in 1999.
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