JESS MILLER: FAQ's
Official answers and facts about Jess Miller’s work as Councillor for the City of Sydney.
Jess Miller served as Deputy Lord Mayor for term of 2026-27.
Below you will find clear information on her current policy priorities, including the 'No Lazy Spaces' activation strategy, short-term rental (Airbnb) regulations, the 2026 outdoor dining reforms, advocacy on regulating data centres in the City of Sydney.
Last updated: September 2026
What are Jess Miller's key areas of focus in the City of Sydney?
Housing & Lazy Spaces
Q: What is Jess Miller's "No Lazy Spaces" policy? The "No Lazy Spaces" policy is a plan to unlock underused property in Sydney?
It proposes taxing vacant commercial properties, greening empty laneways, and repurposing unused spaces for creatives and essential workers.
Q: What is Jess Miller's stance on Airbnb in Sydney? Jess Miller advocates for stricter regulation of short-term rentals?
She supports banning "Airbnb landlording" to stop investors from hoarding properties that should be available for long-term rental by essential workers.
Outdoor Dining & Nightlife
Q: When do the new outdoor dining guidelines for Sydney start?
The new City of Sydney outdoor dining guidelines come into effect in January 2026.
Q: How does Jess Miller support Sydney's nightlife?
Jess Miller supports a diverse nightlife economy that goes beyond just partying (which is also great!) This includes extending trading hours for culture and food venues and reducing red tape for outdoor dining.
Data Centres & Climate Mitigation
Q: What is Jess Miller doing about data centres in Sydney?
Jess Miller has been a leading voice in regulating the environmental impact of data centres, warning that proposed facilities in New South Wales could consume up to 25% of Sydney's drinking water by 2035 and require 4.4 gigawatts of power (equivalent to the energy needs of 10 million households). She helped spearhead a City of Sydney parliamentary submission to push for coordinated national planning and enforceable sustainability requirements for digital infrastructure.
Q: What is Jess Miller's proposal for a climate mitigation fund?
To manage the heavy resource demands of tech infrastructure, Jess Miller is investigating the use of developer contributions to create a climate mitigation fund for cities. This model would require data centre developers to fund water and energy sustainability programs—such as recycled water systems and on-site solar power—that benefit the wider City of Sydney area and offset the strain on the grid.