Meet 22-year-old student David Ossip who could become Ku-ring-gai's next mayor

By Michael Koziol
Updated September 16 2014 - 5:18pm, first published 11:08am
David Ossip, left, with Bradfield MP Paul Fletcher. Photo: Facebook
David Ossip, left, with Bradfield MP Paul Fletcher. Photo: Facebook
Liberal councillor David Ossip with state MP for Ku-ring-gai and former premier Barry O'Farrell. Photo: Facebook
Liberal councillor David Ossip with state MP for Ku-ring-gai and former premier Barry O'Farrell. Photo: Facebook
David Ossip, left, with Bradfield MP Paul Fletcher. Photo: Facebook
David Ossip, left, with Bradfield MP Paul Fletcher. Photo: Facebook
Liberal councillor David Ossip with state MP for Ku-ring-gai and former premier Barry O'Farrell. Photo: Facebook
Liberal councillor David Ossip with state MP for Ku-ring-gai and former premier Barry O'Farrell. Photo: Facebook
David Ossip, left, with Bradfield MP Paul Fletcher. Photo: Facebook
David Ossip, left, with Bradfield MP Paul Fletcher. Photo: Facebook
Liberal councillor David Ossip with state MP for Ku-ring-gai and former premier Barry O'Farrell. Photo: Facebook
Liberal councillor David Ossip with state MP for Ku-ring-gai and former premier Barry O'Farrell. Photo: Facebook
Liberal councillor David Ossip with state MP for Ku-ring-gai and former premier Barry O'Farrell. Photo: Facebook
Liberal councillor David Ossip with state MP for Ku-ring-gai and former premier Barry O'Farrell. Photo: Facebook

In Sydney's heartland of baby boomers, NIMBYs and leafy estates, the new mayor in town might soon be a baby-faced, pro-development 22-year-old law student.

Ku-ring-gai's youngest ever councillor David Ossip rolled the incumbent mayor, Jennifer Anderson, for the Liberals' nomination in tonight's mayoral election. Liberals hold five of the 10 seats on council, and with the five non-Liberal councillors pledging to oppose Cr Ossip, the winning candidate will likely be drawn from a hat.

The Sydney University student will finish his law/commerce degree at the end of the year and said he would defer a position at a top-tier law firm if he attains the mayoralty.

"I don't see youth as a disadvantage. I bring incredible energy, enthusiasm and motivation to the role," Cr Ossip, who lives with his parents in Ku-ring-gai, said.

He said Cr Anderson had done an excellent job as mayor but he also made a pointed pitch for change from the municipality's current leadership.

"What underpins my vision is my idea of Ku-ring-gai council working with the community and not against the community, and politicians respecting the wishes of their constituents and not thumbing their noses," he said.

Earlier this year, Cr Ossip pushed to rejuvenate Pymble's ailing shopping strip, but the move was rejected by the notoriously anti-development council. He also pushed to revamp St Ives Shopping Village, install more community bus services and lead a crusade against graffiti.

A keen traveller, he said his recent trip to South America for the World Cup confirmed his view that "public service is a noble calling".

The 22-year-old, who graduated from Masada College with an ATAR of 99.65, was selected as the Liberal nominee at a caucus meeting on Sunday night. The Rats in the Ranks-style intrigue leading to the impasse has frustrated both sides of the partisan divide.

The five Liberal councillors were elected as notional independents, because the Liberal Party does not endorse candidates in Ku-ring-gai. Their party affiliation was not stated on the ballot paper and their campaigns were not funded by the party.

But because they are Liberal Party members, party rules require them to back the pre-selected mayoral candidate or face disciplinary action. Cr Ossip has the support of fellow Liberals David Citer and Cheryl Szatow, but not Chantelle Fornari-Orsmond or sitting mayor Cr Anderson, who could win the support of the independents were she able to stand.

Independent councillor Elaine Malicki, who has been on council longer than Cr Ossip has been alive including three terms as mayor, described the young challenger as an "extremely ambitious young man" who was bright but inexperienced.

She said the Liberal Party's requirement for its members to bind around a mayoral candidate showed they had deceived the electorate at the election.

"These people all claim to be independents and yet they're forced into a caucus vote or [could] be penalised or quite possibly kicked out of the party," she said. "How can they have it both ways?"

Councillor Jeffrey Pettett, elected as a member of the Liberal Democrats, was dismayed that the next Ku-ring-gai mayor could be plucked from a hat.

"That position is the figurehead of the council and we want somebody there who portrays that stability and knowledge. A 22-year-old does not necessarily portray that to the general community," he said.

"He's never chaired a meeting. It's not a good look for the council [and] it's a very poor result for our residents. It's not showing stability, it's not showing leadership."

And, in a sign Cr Ossip's bid for mayor could be short-lived, Cr Anderson has called a special Liberal caucus meeting for 5.50pm Tuesday, shortly before the ballot.

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