Dominic (at boondiboondi and DarugLand) WY Kanak

Dominic Wy Kanak

"I pay respect to Elders and Country, and to the memory of Aunty Pat Dixon, Founder of Local Government Aboriginal Network NSW. Waverley, your Community support is Appreciated.”

The People of Waverley Local Government Area, LGA, are served by Dominic in his capacity as an Indigenous (First Nations 'Sovreign'TI>Erub, and South Sea>Epi) boondiboondi Bondi Ward Waverley Greens Councillor (first Elected September 1999; Deputy Mayor 2017-2019, 2007-2008). He has co-chaired Waverley Council's Multicultural Advisory Committee, and as the Mayor's nominee, chaired the Eastern Region Local Government Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Committee (ERLGATSI Forum) on behalf of Woollahra, Waverley, Randwick, Bayside (amalgamated Botany Bay, Rockdale), City of Sydney and Inner West (amalgamated Leichhardt, Marrickville, Ashfield) Councils.

A paralegal, law student and Native Title Consultant (NTC), Dominic was Honorary NTC for Rockdale and District Landscape Heritage Committee (RDLHC with Nola Taylor), and a past Executive Committee Convenor of the Indigenous Working Group for the United Nations Association of Australia (NSW Branch).

Outside of Council responsibilities, Dominic was a driver\location assistant for film\TV First Nations Elders and ABC Creatives like Oscar Winner, Cate Blanchett, during 1993 ABC TV series ‘HeartLands’; participated as an Associate Member of Darug Link Association 1994; part of the Royal Prince now King Charles 3rd Media Entourage, Western Australia 1994; and was a NSW Commonwealth Education Coordinator for the United Nations International Year for the World's Indigenous Peoples (1993), attending the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues with Siberian (Russia) Indigenous Sakha People (Masha Kovner, New York, USA, 2018) after Australia ratified the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, UNDRIP, in 2009.

During his terms on Council, Dominic has served the community as: a member of the Management Committee for the NSW Reconciliation Council (Reconciliation NSW nominee to Indigenous Veterans Committee); a former Director (Vice Chair 2014), Board of Tranby Aboriginal College, (Deaths in Custody Watch Committee, 1987) Glebe; President (Vice President, 2015-2016) of NSW Local Government Aboriginal Network, ‘LGAN’ (2017-2024); a 'Together for Humanity' supporter\Volunteer (2017).

Dominic’s compassionately held values for Bondi-Waverley’s Grassroots Democracy consensus process through ‘Caring for Country and Community’ is demonstrated by being a Local Advocate in broad policy\campaign interests including:

  • Social-Economic Justice/Health (especially COVID related) Advocacy for Our Community's vulnerable marginalised and isolated People\Families\Neighbours;
  • Pillars of Justice Peace EcoSustainability Grassroots-Democracy;
  • Supporting Community opposition to planning reforms that are against 'The Public Interest’, which potentially lead to over-excavation in the Bondi-Rose Bay Sandbody causing building collapses\substandard amenity adversely affected by water table hydrology disruption;
  • More Affordable Housing, incentivising for Locals against excessive short term (‘airBnB’) rentals;
  • Enriching Local cultural\creative\recreational reactivation\access to the 'Makeover' Bondi Pavilion to Celebrate Community Diversity;
  • Protection of Community/Elders/Women/Children/Heritage/Native Title/Crown-Public Land & Water;
  • Reconciliation, First Nations and our Diverse Community through ‘Together for Humanity’s' approach;
  • Constitutional Recognition for Local Government;
  • 'Green' Sustainability in curbing local overdevelopment for better management of 'roads, rates and rubbish'.