The major parties dominate, Our Local Community gets the boot and the Greens secure a spot at the table – meet your new City of Parramatta Council.
The results of the Local Government Elections are officially out, revealing plenty of fresh faces, as well as a few returning ones, will represent Parramatta for the next term.
Labor and the Liberals were the big winners, with both major parties managing to get up six Councillors each.
The re-introduction of the Liberal party means a change for what has been a Labor-dominated Council the past term.
Elected Liberal Councillor Georgina Valjak said she’s looking forward to being part of a highly experienced and professional Liberal party team.
“I believe our Liberal team’s expertise will be instrumental in managing our city’s budget with fiscal responsibility, providing community amenities our residents deserve, and fostering a safe, vibrant and thriving CBD for our businesses,” she told Parra News.
A Greens candidate was also elected, along with a Community Champions and Lorraine Wearne Independents candidate.
In a shocking twist, Our Local Community, spearheaded by long-time Dundas Ward Councillor Michelle Garrard, failed to get any candidates elected to the Council. Former Labor Councillor Paul Noack, who ran as an Independent, was also unsuccessful in being re-elected.
Dundas Ward
Labor’s Anthony Ellard will join City of Parramatta Council in his first term, replacing Pierre Esber who served on Council for 25 years. Tanya Raffoul will represent the Liberals.
Community Champions’ Kellie Darley has successfully been re-elected to represent the ward.
Epping Ward
Former Hornsby Shire Councillor Sreeni Pillamarri will represent the Liberal’s in the Epping Ward, while Labor’s Cameron Maclean will serve his second term on Council.
They’re joined by newcomer Charles Chen of the Lorraine Wearne Independents, which was created by former Independent Councillor Lorraine Wearne.
Wearne served as a local Councillor from 1995 to 2024, before ultimately deciding not to recontest at this year’s election.
North Rocks Ward
Labor’s Hayley French has been voted in as a new North Rocks Ward Councillor.
The Liberal party’s Valjak returns for another term, with Jeffrey Manning, who was second on the ticket, also gaining a spot.
Parramatta Ward
Judy Greenwood, a former Randwick City Councillor, gets a spot in the Parramatta Ward for the Greens. Greenwood replaces Phil Bradley, who has served on Parramatta Council for seven years and was second on the ticket.
Labor’s Sameer Pandey was successful in being re-elected. The Liberal’s Martin Zaiter, a former Parramatta Councillor, will also make his return to the Chamber.
Rosehill Ward
Labor’s Patricia Prociv returns for another term. Labor was also successful in getting their second candidate on the ticket, Michael Ng, up as a Councillor.
The Liberal’s Steven Issa, a former Parramatta Lord Mayor, rounds out the list of Councillors for the new City of Parramatta Council.
The first City of Parramatta Council meeting will take place on October 14, where it’s expected the new Lord Mayor will also be elected.
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.