Councillor Masud Khalil copped a barrage of criticism for his push on council to get more selective school places for Campbelltown.
But despite the robust push back, his proposal received enough support around the chamber to become council policy.
Cr Khalil says some councillors misunderstood his intentions.
“I just want the best for Campbelltown,’’ he said afterwards.
“Campbelltown is growing, and we should plan for that, including growing the selective school places already available,’’ Cr Khalil said.
Almost a year ago, Masud Khalil became the last of 15 councillors elected to Campbelltown City Council.
He ran under the banner of Community Voice.
During the campaign he told the South West Voice in Macarthur he wanted to get elected to make a difference in Campbelltown.
“To make Campbelltown great we need to be united, and I’d like to bring all the different tribes together,’’ he said at the time.
A year after being on council, Cr Khalil is a little disappointed with what he sees as wrong priorities by some of the other councillors.
“We should be thinking about progress, about how we compete with other councils like Parramatta,’’ he says.
“On council we’re wasting time when we just discuss personal issues.
“We need to move on from things like the Billabong and start tackling issues like roads, transport and the connectivity needs of a growing Campbelltown,’’ he said.
“The people didn’t vote for me to listen to BS about the Billabong, it’s done and dusted, we are building it, let’s move on.’’
Masud Khalil was 23 years old when he migrated to Australia from Bangladesh in 1999.
He says it didn’t take long for him to fall in love with his new home.
What do you like about Australia, we ask him.
“Everything,’’ he says without hesitation, and adds:
“From the weather to the people who are very honest, and hard working, plus Australia is a politically stable country.’’
Cr Khalil says the same thing happened when he came to Campbelltown from the inner west in 2016.
He bought a house in Minto, where he lives with his wife and son.
His involvement in the Bangladeshi community of Sydney came in handy when he arrived in Campbelltown.
“I never felt like a stranger, because I already knew everyone from the Bangladeshi and Indian communities here in Campbelltown,’’ he says.
Cr Khalil says he’s just getting started when it comes to making a difference on council.
“If I see something happening in the chamber that is not right, I stand up and say something,’’ he says.
“Campbelltown people is my family in everything I do.
“People who voted for us put their faith in us, to be independent.
“What we need to get some change is more real independents on council,’’ says Cr Khalil.
