Labor’s Ola Hamed has become the first Muslim woman of Lebanese heritage elected as Mayor of Cumberland Council, with Michael Zaiter of the Liberal’s to be Deputy Mayor.
Tonight’s meeting has bought the newly elected Councillors together for the first time to vote for the title positions of the local Council.
The bid for Mayor came down to two candidates – Hamed and Our Local Community’s Paul Garrard, a veteran local Councillor.
Hamed not only had the support of her fellow Labor colleagues, of which there are five, but also the Greens’ Sujan Selven.
Surprisingly, the four Liberal Councillors also backed Hamed.
Fellow Our Local Community party members Steve Christou and Helen Hughes were the only Councillors to vote for Garrard.
Following the election of Mayor, there was a short break before Hamed took her seat at the head of the Chamber to rapturous applause.
She thanked her family and her fellow Councillors for their support.
“I’m truly honoured to be sworn in as the Mayor of Cumberland City Council as the first ever Muslim woman of Lebanese heritage,” Hamed said.
“Our Labor and our Liberal partnership reflects our commitment to a prosperous future for the residents of Cumberland.
“One of my immediate priorities is to unify this Chamber and, indeed, the community because that’s what civic leadership should always be about.”
She finished by inviting the new-look Cumberland Council to leave behind the “toxicity of the last seven years” and to work towards a united Chamber.
“I extend my hand to each and every single one of you – I’m seeking your professionalism and your co-operation as we address our shared priorities and challenges,” she added.
“It will take all of us, of course, collaborating despite our differences to make a meaningful impact on this community.
“So, let’s get to work.”
Zaiter was nominated alongside Our Local Community’s Helen Hughes for the position of Deputy Mayor.
Like the election of the Mayor, the fight to win the role of Deputy Mayor saw the Liberal and Labor Councillors team up alongside the Greens to vote for Zaiter.
Christou and Garrard voted for Hughes.
The result is a huge win for Zaiter and his family, as it follows the election of his brother, Martin Zaiter, to the role of Lord Mayor of Parramatta earlier this week.
Congratulating Hamed, Zaiter said he knows the Liberal’s support of the Labor Councillor tonight may have shocked some residents.
“Many of our residents and ratepayers may see the support the Liberal party has provided [Hamed] tonight as unconventional due to the political differences that our parties hold at State and Federal levels,” he said.
“Yes there are differences, but the job of the Councillor’s in this Chamber tonight is to serve the people of Cumberland. To achieve this, it’s important that we manage those differences so that we have stability and good governance in this Council over the next four years.”
An emotional Zaiter was then bought to tears as he thanked his family for their support.
Independents Ahmed Ouf and Eddy Sarkis abstained from voting.
Mayor Hamed will be in the role until 2026, while Zaiter will be Deputy Mayor until 2025.
Ellie Busby is a news reporter for Western Sydney Publishing Group. A graduate of the University of Hertfordshire and Western Sydney University, she is a journalism Major. Ellie has worked with Universal Media, The Cova Project and for a range of other organisations. In 2024, Ellie was named Young Writer of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.