Labor Councillor Suman Saha vows to ensure all voices are heard as he becomes Cumberland City Council’s new Deputy Mayor.
Cr Saha has replaced fellow Labor Councillor Kun Huang in the role of Deputy Mayor, as he looks to serve alongside Mayor Lisa Lake for the next 12 months.
During the latest Cumberland City Council meeting, Cr Saha went up against Our Local Community’s (OLC) Helen Hughes, receiving nine votes to six. Cr Hughes congratulated Cr Saha and said she hopes he enjoys his next 12 months as Deputy Mayor.
Dressed in a Parramatta Eels jersey underneath a blazer, Cr Saha addressed the Council for the first time as Deputy Mayor.
“I stand up and thank the people of Cumberland, especially the people of the Wentworthville ward, for placing their trust in me,” he said.
“It’s a great honour to be elected your Deputy Mayor, to serve the Cumberland community for the next 12 months.”
Cr Saha credited the Labor councillors and fellow branch members for helping him take this next step in his council career, praising the General Manager and staff also for their work.
“Thanks to my fellow councillors, especially my Labor councillors, for showing faith in me, I look forward to much more harmonious and good working relationships among all the councillors,” he said.
“I look forward to supporting Mayor Lake, I’ve known [her] for 15 years, we’ve shared our disappointments, celebrated our victories together and we’ve helped each other.”
Reflecting on his journey to Australia and to local politics, Cr Saha thanked his family for their support.
“I arrived in Australia in 2003 as an international student with my Bengali accent and ethnicity, which I’m very proud of, and settled in Australia as a skilled migrant,” he said.
“Thanks to my parents, I could never be where I am today without their support and guidance.”
Living in the Cumberland area since 2005, Cr Saha was first elected as a Cumberland Councillor in 2017.
Ensuring everyone has access to Council’s services, regardless of their age, gender and ethnicity, will continue to be a key focus for Cr Saha as he moves forward in the new role.
“I am here because I want to make a difference and ensure all voices are heard,” he said.
“I believe we are at our strongest and our best when we come together to deliver for Cumberland.”
Cr Lake, who remains Mayor, welcomed her fellow Wentworthville Ward councillor to the role and said she looks forward to continuing to work with Cr Saha over the next 12 months.
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.