The Campbelltown mayoral election earlier tonight didn’t really produce any surprises – but it made history nonetheless.
Mayor George Greiss, who faced a challenge from Labor leader Darcy Lound, was re-elected for another term after receiving 10 of the 15 votes.
What was historic tonight was the election of the first deputy mayor of Bangladeshi heritage.
Cr Masud Khalil, who has been living in Campbelltown for just seven years, defeated Labor’s candidate Karen Hunt, much to the delight of his supporters who had packed the public gallery.
After describing his election to deputy mayor “a privilege and an honour’’, Cr Khalil promised that he would work for “all the people who have put their trust in me.’’
“It’s history in the making, having our first Bangladeshi deputy mayor,’’ commented Mayor Greiss, pictured above with his new deputy.
Cr Khalil replaces one of the young councillors, Josh Cotter, who served during the past 12 months as deputy mayor.
Cr Cotter congratulated Cr Khalil on his election.
“You’re now the deputy mayor for all of Campbelltown, not a minority group,’’ Cr Cotter said.
Cr Lound, the defeated mayoral candidate, told the council his nomination was not a reflection of the performance of Cr Greiss in the past 18 months.
“You have done a wonderful job in that period, an outstanding job,’’ he said.
“However, in Labor we believe in offering an option when elections are held.
“Congratulations and I look forward to working with you over the next 12 months for the people of Campbelltown,’’ Cr Lound said.
This mayoral term will end September 2024, when local government elections are scheduled to be held.
In Camden, the mayoral election will be held in a week’s time. It is anticipated that current mayor, Ashleigh Cagney, who is seen to have done a good job, will get the nod for another 12 months.
