Independent candidate for Berowra, Tina Brown, is standing alongside the Honourable Philip Ruddock in a fight to protect Hornsby’s tree canopy and to ensure that council decisions about the future of the Bushland Shire are made in the open, with full transparency and public input.

The Bushland Shire is more than just a name. It is a home, a community, and a place where nature and people have coexisted for generations. That balance is now under threat, not just from overdevelopment, but from decisions being made behind closed doors, away from the public eye.

For the Honourable Philip Ruddock, this is deeply personal. Protecting the Bushland Shire has been a lifelong mission, one he inherited from his father and has fought to uphold for decades. Now, he is once again speaking out as Hornsby Council, under a Liberal mayor hand-picked by sitting MP Julian Leeser, moves to reassess tree protections under the guise of balance and development expectations.

But what is even more concerning is how they are doing it.

"This mayoral minute calls for an informal Councillor briefing, which means decisions that affect our community could be discussed behind closed doors, in the dark, where the people of Hornsby and Berowra cannot see what is happening," Brown said. "Why should conversations about our environment, our homes, and our community’s future take place in secret?"

The proposal, introduced by Mayor Warren Waddell, claims to balance public safety with tree protection, but it also sets the stage for policy changes that could lead to more land clearing, weaker safeguards, and unchecked development. By framing it as a review, it avoids direct public scrutiny while allowing the council to quietly shift protections in a way that benefits developers.

"This is how communities lose control over their future, not through one big decision, but through a series of quiet meetings, closed-door discussions, and technical adjustments that people do not see coming until it is too late," Brown said.

Tina Brown is demanding full transparency and public accountability in all discussions about tree protections and development in the Bushland Shire.

"Every single discussion and consultation that leads to decision-making on this issue should be made public. No backroom briefings, no quiet deals, no closed-door meetings where the community’s voice is shut out," Brown said.

Philip Ruddock’s involvement is a powerful reminder that this is bigger than politics. It is about the future of the Bushland Shire’s identity, its tree canopies, and the natural spaces that make this community unique.

"For generations, my family has fought to protect the Bushland Shire because this is more than just land, it is our home. I have always put the interests of this community and our unique environment first, ensuring that we do not sacrifice our identity for short-term development gains. I do not want to see Berowra turned into another overdeveloped suburb at the expense of the bushland that defines us. 

"We must stand firm in protecting our natural heritage and ensure that any decisions made about its future are done with full transparency and in the best interests of the people who live here and for the future generations who will call it home."

Ms Brown added "The people of Berowra deserve leaders who will stand up for them, not keep them in the dark. This is about trust, accountability, and protecting what makes our home special,"

Tina Brown is standing with the community, with those who want to protect Berowra’s natural beauty, and with those who believe the people, not politicians meeting in secret, should have the final say.

For details of the full petition and video included by Tina and Phillip >> Click Here

ENDS

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