Team Adelaide founder Houssam Abiad says he is proud of faction’s achievements on Adelaide City Council

The founder of the dominant faction in Adelaide Council has spoken out from Mecca, giving his verdict on members efforts to change the city.

Members of the dominant faction which is running the Adelaide City Council should be proud of their achievements, says its founder.

Speaking from the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, former deputy lord mayor Houssam Abiad, 45, said the group known as Team Adelaide was changing the way the council operated.

“I have said to them to ‘wear it as a badge of honour’,” said Mr Abiad, who is working to establish a new local government structure within Mecca.

“When you effect change, you effect change.”

Houssam Abiad in the holy site of Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Picture: Supplied

Former deputy lord mayor Houssam Abiad in King William St before he left for Saudi Arabia. Picture: Supplied

He said the upgrades of Victoria Square, Rundle Mall and Topham Mall, together with the forthcoming redevelopments of the former Le Cornu site at North Adelaide and Adelaide Central Market Arcade, would not have happened if he and others, including former lord mayor Martin Haese, had not worked to form a group of like-minded candidates.

“These are all very simple things the collective has pushed for,” he said.

“It is easy to say no.

“It is much harder to stand up for what you believe in and make the hard decisions about what the city needs.”

Mr Abiad confirmed a database he created was used to help candidates campaign before the last council elections in November 2018 and swap preferences.

He also registered “Team Adelaide” as a domain name.

“I don’t shy away that there was a collective approach from the community to have the maximum amount of people put their hands up to represent their constituents at the last election,” he said.

“That is the beauty of democracy.

“Whether it was done under a unified message or banner is irrelevant.

“In the end, the best case was put to the community and they voted for them.”

Mr Abiad was re-elected and became Mr Haese’s deputy before he resigned in late 2019 to move to the Middle East.

He was replaced by long-serving government bureaucrat, arts administrator and former bookseller Greg Mackie in a by-election.

Mr Abiad said his time in Mecca had been challenging.

He took up his position just before the global pandemic began early last year.

“Before Covid, six million pilgrims were coming for the Hajj (the mandatory journey each Muslim must make during their lifetimes to Mecca),” he said.

“Last year, 60,000 were allowed into the Kaaba (the holy square in the city).”

Mr Abiad said, as a practising Muslim, it was “an absolute honour to serve Mecca”.

“I came here to set up a state government from scratch,” he said. “It is about managing a city of two million people and creating a masterplan.”
Mr Abiad said Saudi Arabia was still a relatively young country.

“It is only 90 years old,” he said.

Houssam Abiad in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, during the pandemic. Picture: Supplied

“The amount of change which is happening here is humungous.”

Mecca – or Mekkah – in Arabric was regarded as its most spiritual site, with enormous significance to Muslims of all nationalities across the world.

“One point six billion Muslims look each day to Mecca,” he said.

“When I was asked if I wanted to come here for my job, it was very hard to say no.

“Is the first cradle of multiculturalism.”

Mr Abiad said he used to believe the Adelaide City Council was a challenging environment with its internal fighting.

“Phil Martin and Anne Moran are nothing compared with here.” he said.