Simon Kennedy on what he loved about Bennelong... and now loves about Cook

While unsuccessfully standing for Bennelong at the 2022 federal election, Mr Kennedy was asked during an interview, which was published on the Ryde District Mums website, "What do you love most about the area?"

He replied, "What I love most about our area is the people. Bennelong is the most successful multicultural community in the most successful multicultural nation in the world.

"The diversity of our electorate is our strength. We have a vibrant community that is cohesive, patriotic, and aspirational.

"Few other electorates in Australia have such vibrant Chinese, Korean, Indian, Armenian, Italian and other communities coexisting peacefully with each other".

After his recent preselection win, Mr Kennedy told the Leader standing for Cook, rather than having a second attempt at Bennelong, was "a family decision".

"It wasn't a decision I made unilaterally," he said. "My wife and I were talking about it with our kids, where we want to live and what kind of community.

"We found this one and we think our values are represented in this community and we are excited to be here.

"When Scott announced his retirement, it was something my wife and I started talking about.

"She is relatively new to Australia. She lived in a coastal area, close to the water at Berkeley in San Francisco.

"We have got a young family and we started talking about the appeal of living in a beautiful community like this and it was very appealing to us as a family.

In response to a follow-up question from the Leader about the multicultural make-up of the two electorates, Mr Kennedy said, "Sydney is an incredibly unique city, with many wonderful aspects of different communities across the city.

"The Cook electorate is home to a range of cultures and backgrounds," he said.

"As at the 2021 Census, over 37 per cent of the electorate was born overseas. Half of the electorate has at least one parent born outside of Australia.

"I don't think any part of the world can match the natural beauty, lifestyle or the warm and selfless locals of Cook.

"Our family's decision to move here is one of the most important we have made, because it will mean that our kids get to grow up in an amazing part of Sydney."

The electorate of Cook covers an area from Kurnell and Cronulla in the east to Sylvania and Gymea Bay in the west and from Kyle Bay, Monterey and Botany Bay in the north to Dents Creek and Hacking River in the south.

Suburbs include Monterey, Beverley Park, Blakehurst, Burraneer, Caringbah, Carss Park, Cronulla, Greenhills Beach, Gymea, Gymea Bay, Kyle Bay, Kurnell, Lilli Pilli, Miranda, Sandringham, Sans Souci, Sylvania, Sylvania Waters, Taren Point and Yowie Bay.