Clover Moore - Member of Parliament, 1988 - 2012

2012

The following year, the government amalgamated the City of Sydney and South Sydney Councils, and Moore switched to the Sydney City Council. Moore developed a visible profile in the community, campaigning on a variety of issues both in her position as councillor and in the broader community. In late 1987, Moore was the favourite to become the city's first female Lord Mayor and defeat incumbent Doug Sutherland. However, the state government abruptly sacked the council and called in commissioners to run it. Moore decided to take the opportunity to run for the Legislative Assembly as an independent at the 1988 election. Despite not having the backing of a party, she won the seat of Bligh, narrowly defeating Liberal member Michael Yabsley.

In 1991 she co-authored the New South Wales Charter of Reform of Government. In the same year, she was re-elected for a second term with a massive swing in her favour, increasing her share from 26.7 per cent to 43 per cent. Her power also increased dramatically when, along with fellow independents Peter Macdonald and Tony Windsor, she gained the balance of power in the Legislative Assembly. Moore was to again take the spotlight when the Independent Commission Against Corruption handed down a finding that was sharply critical of Liberal Premier Nick Greiner on 1 June 1992. While the findings were still pending a ruling in the NSW Court of Appeals, Moore and two other Independent MPs made a symbolic march to the NSW Parliament with a threat to withdraw their support of the coalition's minority-government. Hence before the Court ruling was handed down, Greiner's hand was forced, and he resigned on 24 June 1992.

She went on to hold her seat with a largely safe margin at the 1995 and 1999 elections. The gay community thanked her for her support by featuring likenesses of her in the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade that year. She was re-elected again in 2003.

Prior to the 2007 election, the Electoral Commission redistributed electoral boundaries, renaming Bligh to "Sydney", and moving the seat north and west to encompass the Sydney CBD. Moore was elected to the new seat of Sydney with an increased margin.

Although she is an independent, she and the Australian Democrats have found common ground on several issues with the Democrats sponsoring some of her bills in the upper house and she encouraged voters at the 2011 state election to vote for them in the upper house, (along with John Hatton).