Grafton raised Deputy Lord Mayor of Sydney Robyn Kemmis passed away just after Christmas while staying with family in Queensland. Lord Mayor Clover Moore in a media statement said her passing is an enormous loss for the City of Sydney and our communities. “Robyn was a dedicated and skilled elected representative, a tremendously effective and committed councillor who earned the respect and love of our residential, business and education communities. As Councillor, Deputy Lord Mayor and Committee Chair, Robyn has been a major contributor to the work of the Independent Team since we were first elected in 2004 to lead the City of Sydney. Robyn effectively engaged all our communities in local government decisions that affected their lives, with a particular interest in supporting local village economies and programs for young people. She has been a long-standing advocate for social justice and equal opportunity, especially for women’s rights and for all our social housing communities, especially in Glebe and Millers Point. Robyn was a Glebe resident for over 35 years and a truly active member of the local community. She was passionate about preserving the area’s heritage, character and community. In 2002, Robyn was awarded an honorary doctorate by UTS in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the university’s mission. In 2003, she was awarded a Centenary Medal for service to Australian society in business leadership. On a personal level, I will miss Robyn’s friendship, her warmth and humour, her insight and extraordinary persistence to get the best for all our communities. My condolences go to Robyn’s partner Lyn, her family and friends, and colleagues who will all be as devastated as I am by this loss.”