Sam Weston for Mayor

22/08/2025

Coming to you live from Robertson Barracks for the first ever Veterans Games Regional Heats in Darwin!

Our team is made up of 9 x Mad Snake Cafe regular Friday veterans, with our team called ‘Cut as a Mad Snake’.

We are versing current serving members, with the games inspired by real-life military scenarios, all for the chance to represent Darwin on the national stage.

The champion team will earn a sponsored spot at the 2025 Veteran Games on the Gold Coast on October.

A huge shout out to loads of our regular Mad Snake Cafe veterans who are here to cheer us on! Community and mateship at its best!

20/08/2025

While most of Australia is rugged up for winter, Darwin is in full swing, embracing our dry season evenings during the Darwin Festival.

Tonight I took my kids and visiting sister to Festival Park and it didn’t disappoint ❤️

18/08/2025

Why I'm Still Standing for Lord Mayor

I put my hand up for Lord Mayor because I genuinely want to represent the people of Darwin.

Over the past month, I’ve been targeted by what many are calling the worst smear campaign in local election history. My corflutes have been stolen and vandalised. I've been attacked on social media with vile and baseless lies.

My business has been targeted. My friends and family have been threatened.

It would've been easy to walk away. To give up. To let those cowards win.

But like my mate Rocky once said: "It ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward."

Leadership isn't just about the good times, it's about how you face the tough times, the dark days and the people who try to tear you down.

And I'm still here.

I'm still running to be your next Lord Mayor of Darwin.

And yeah, I do love a bit of Rocky.

Please Vote 1 Sam Weston for Lord Mayor and Lyons Ward.

16/08/2025

This morning, I walked 10km as part of the 2025 Walking Off The War Within Darwin.

This annual event is where we march as one to help shake off the stigma associated with mental illness while also raising awareness of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

A huge thank you to all the local organisations who help support this important event to make it a success.

A little bit about Walking Off The War Within (WOTWW)

This annual event is a free, community-driven event held in honour of Nathan Shanahan, a veteran and first responder who was deeply committed to raising awareness of mental health issues faced by those who serve and work in emergency services.

In 2015, Nathan set out on a remarkable journey, walking over 400 kilometres from Mildura to Adelaide with a 20-kilogram army pack. Along the way, he shared his personal battle with mental health - his “war within” - with everyone who joined him. He never walked a step alone. Friends, strangers, and local townspeople stood beside him, united in purpose and solidarity.

Tragically, Nathan lost his battle with mental illness in 2016. In his memory, the first Walking Off The War Within event took place in Ballarat in 2017. Since then, WOTWW has grown into a nationwide movement, with over 20 walks held in communities across Australia

https://walkoffww.com/

15/08/2025

Early voting opened this week and I'm asking for your vote for change.

Please Vote 1 Sam Weston for Lord Mayor and Lyons Ward, remember to number every box for your vote to count.

I'm a proud veteran. I served 10 years in corrections and have been a small business owner in Darwin for the past 8 years.

I’m putting my hand up to serve as Lord Mayor as well as the Lyons Ward again because I believe in rolling up my sleeves and working alongside the community to get things done.

My Commitment to Darwin:

✅ Footpaths and Accessibility:
I'll work with all councillors to prioritise safer, connected footpaths and better access for everyone. People in Dinah Beach should be able to safely ride or walk into the city.

✅ Revitalise Smith Street Mall:
Partnering with the NT Government, I’ll push for long-overdue investment in the mall to bring life, business, and pride back into our CBD.

✅ 2 Hours Free Parking on Saturdays:
Simple. Fair. Supports local business and gets people back into the city.

✅ Better Lighting Across All Wards:
A safer Darwin is a stronger Darwin. I’ll work with all wards to improve lighting in our streets, parks, and public spaces.

✅ A Greener Darwin:
We will continue planting trees and expanding tree giveaways – because a cooler, greener city is a better place to live.

✅ Parap Market Masterplan:
I’ll advocate strongly to secure funding and begin delivering the vision for a better Parap Market – one of Darwin’s best-loved community hubs.

✅ More for Our Youth:
I’ve heard the community loud and clear – you want a pump track for bikes, scooters, and skateboards. I’ll work to include it in Stage 2 of the Bundilla Beach Project.

But most importantly...

I’ll be a Lord Mayor and Councillor who shows up.
I’ll hold regular community catch-ups and be accessible, because real leadership listens first.

14/08/2025

This morning I got the chance to chat to Katie Woolf on Mix1049 about why I am running for Lord Mayor (as well as Lyons Ward) and I believe Darwin deserves fresh new leadership.

Please feel free to take a listen to my interview and Vote 1 Sam Weston for Lord Mayor and Lyons Ward.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

11/08/2025

With early voting open and less two weeks until the election, this is an appreciation post for my daughter Lily Weston, my unofficial campaign manager.

Lily is wise beyond her 20 years and has been with me at every step of the way. Encouraging me to keep going and reminding me why I'm standing for change.

My team is very small and independent but my appreciation is big ❤️

Please Vote Sam Weston for Lord Mayor and Lyons Ward.

11/08/2025

Early voting opened today and I'm asking for your vote for change.

Please vote Sam Weston for Lord Mayor and remember to number every box for your vote to count.

I'm a proud veteran. I served 10 years in corrections and have been a small business owner in Darwin for the past 8 years.

Now, I’m putting my hand up to serve as Lord Mayor because I believe in rolling up my sleeves and working alongside the community to get things done.

My Commitment to Darwin:

✅ Footpaths and Accessibility:
I'll work with all councillors to prioritise safer, connected footpaths and better access for everyone. People in Dinah Beach should be able to safely ride or walk into the city.

✅ Revitalise Smith Street Mall:
Partnering with the NT Government, I’ll push for long-overdue investment in the mall to bring life, business, and pride back into our CBD.

✅ 2 Hours Free Parking on Saturdays:
Simple. Fair. Supports local business and gets people back into the city.

✅ Better Lighting Across All Wards:
A safer Darwin is a stronger Darwin. I’ll work with all wards to improve lighting in our streets, parks, and public spaces.

✅ A Greener Darwin:
We will continue planting trees and expanding tree giveaways – because a cooler, greener city is a better place to live.

✅ Parap Market Masterplan:
I’ll advocate strongly to secure funding and begin delivering the vision for a better Parap Market – one of Darwin’s best-loved community hubs.

✅ More for Our Youth:
I’ve heard the community loud and clear – you want a pump track for bikes, scooters, and skateboards. I’ll work to include it in Stage 2 of the Bundilla Beach Project.

But most importantly...
I’ll be a Lord Mayor who shows up.
I’ll hold regular community catch-ups and be accessible, because real leadership listens first.

10/08/2025

It’s Darwin Festival time and the opening weekend has been a huge hit! So far I’ve enjoyed seeing the local Camp Dog Band at the Darwin Port Bandstand at Festival Park as well as the circus cabaret LA RONDE at the Spiegeltent at Festival Lawns.

You can check out the full program of events on now until 24 August.

https://www.darwinfestival.org.au/

09/08/2025

Today I had the privilege of joining men’s and women’s teams, representing counties from across the world and helped umpire the Darwin Super 9s AFI event at Rugby Park in Marrara

With the games focused on supporting NO MORE AU, the Northern Territory initiative preventing domestic and family a violence.

It was a great day of community sports and important partnerships.