Clover Moore claims victory in the City of Sydney 20 years after she first stepped into the role of lord mayor

Clover Moore has claimed victory as Mayor of Sydney for his historic sixth term.

In Saturday’s NSW local elections, the 78-year-old independent politician overcame what she called “the toughest campaign” of her career.

Moore won Saturday night at the Arthouse hotel in Sydney’s CBD, beating nine other candidates to take the keys to Sydney Town Hall.

Moore’s challengers in the mayoral race included the Liberals, Labor, the Greens and independent Yvonne Weldon.

“What a campaign this has been,” said Ms Moore.

“I think this is the toughest campaign I’ve ever had. There was a very coordinated campaign to get rid of me.”

Ms Moore said she was unimpressed by her opponents.

“I didn’t think any of the other candidates had anything to offer,” Moore said.

Clover Moore is pictured partying with supporters at the Arthouse hotel in Sydney’s CBD on Saturday night

“They said we needed a change and fresh ideas. I listened very carefully to hear what the fresh ideas were and they weren’t there.”

‘There was a sense of real desperation about trying to get me out of City Hall, and that was reflected in the candidate forums, which I found quite vicious.

“Nobody really talked about fresh ideas or new policies, they just attacked me. It was actually quite a strange campaign.”

Ms Moore said affordable housing, climate change action, Chinatown and Oxford Street would be among her priorities.

The 78-year-old independent politician overcame what she called “the toughest campaign” of her career

Earlier on Saturday, Ms. Moore apologized after her rival’s campaign signs were removed and replaced with her own.

Independent candidate Yvonne Weldon claimed on social media on Saturday that one of Moore’s volunteers had taken her corflutes from Redfern, hidden them in a car and replaced them with signs supporting Australia’s longest-serving mayor.

Ms Moore, who has fought for 20 years to keep the keys to Sydney Town Hall, apologised for the incident.

“I am sorry that this happened. This should not have happened at all. I am told the volunteer was instructed to repair and replace it immediately,” Ms. Moore said in a statement.

Ms Weldon, an Indigenous candidate, called the incident disappointing, unacceptable and “symbolic of why we need change”.