A former fraud investigator and firefighter's daughter hopes to retain a key NSW Greens seat at the March election.
Kobi Shetty has been announced as the party's candidate for Balmain in Sydney's inner west, taking the reins from retiring MP Jamie Parker.
Balmain is held by the Greens by a margin of 10 per cent over Labor - a gap Mr Parker built at successive elections after his surprise victory in 2011.
"My father was a firefighter for over 30 years and his lifetime of public service inspired me to want to serve my community as well," Ms Shetty said in a statement on Thursday.
"Having children has made me even more determined to go to work for this local area and protect what is special about our community, not just now, but for future generations."
The mother of three serves on the Inner West Council, having previously worked for National Australia Bank and other financial firms in fraud prevention and operations.
"It's so critical that we have representation that is not beholden to any of the lobbyists," Ms Shetty told reporters.
"We need a strong voice in the middle of parliament who can be independent of the major parties ... to make sure our communities and the people of NSW are represented," she said in a pitch to voters.
Mr Parker said the Greens hope to replicate the recent successes of their Victorian counterparts in consolidating their hold on the inner-city seats.
The party holds Balmain and neighbouring Newtown, as well as Ballina on the NSW north coast. It is also hopeful of taking the regional seats of Lismore and Shellharbour.
"We know that every vote is powerful and we are taking nothing for granted in Balmain," Mr Parker said.
"Knowing what an outstanding candidate we have in Kobi, I am confident that the seat of Balmain - with Kobi as its new local Greens MP - is in really safe hands."
Mr Parker said the political prominence of the Greens during the federal and Victorian elections had cemented the party as a viable third option in Australia's political landscape.
"In the last 12 years, we've proven that you don't have to be in government in order to achieve fantastic results for the local community," he told reporters on Thursday.
"We will continue to express our values and the decisions we make aren't based on political donors or special interests but (are) based on the people of the electorates we represent."
Labor will put forward another inner-west councillor in deputy mayor Philippa Scott.
She's already begun campaigning on returning the manufacturing of ferries to Australia and putting Balmain "back in government".
"The people of Balmain deserve to be represented by somebody who shares their values but can actually do something about them," she told reporters in October.
