Liverpool Council: Ned Mannoun gears up for a mayoral comeback

Four years after he was cleared by ICAC the popular former Liverpool mayor is tipped to make a successful return to public office. Find out what’s in store.

After “retiring” from politics, colourful former Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun is vying for a mayoral comeback.

According to sources, NewsLocal understands Mr Mannoun is up for Liberal preselection on Monday, after serving a rollercoaster four-year term between 2012 and 2016, which saw him investigated and cleared by ICAC and also honoured by Western Sydney University for his contribution to Western Sydney public life.

At 30, the popular local figure was the youngest popularly-elected mayor of Liverpool and the first Liberal mayor in the region.

In 2016, he made an unsuccessful bid for the Federal Seat of Werriwa and his retirement afterwards shocked many.

Ned Mannoun at a cafe in Macquarie Mall, which he was instrumental in getting refurbished. Picture: Supplied

If he is elected by his Liberal colleagues at preselection on Monday, Mr Mannoun will be the party’s mayoral candidate for Liverpool Council at the September council elections.

In his former mayoral term, he ran on a platform of ‘getting out there and dealing with the issues’, and rebranded the city as the ‘Great South West’.

His crowning contribution to Liverpool was bringing two university campuses to Liverpool – the University of Western Sydney and Wollongong University.

He had aimed to entice three universities into the region.

Mannoun wanted to lure corporate headquarters into the region by improving amenities, public spaces and events.

He was also among the first to put his support behind Sydney’s second international airport at Badgerys Creek and spearheaded the multimillion dollar Carnes Hill Recreation Centre project.

Ned Mannoun. Picture: Supplied

But his council term was not without family and political turmoil.

His 18 month-old son Solomon started dialysis five months into his mayoral term, and halfway through his third year, Mr Mannoun donated one of his kidneys to his son.

Inside the council, there were debunked claims of corruption by a Shooters and Fishers MP, Liberal party power struggles, attempts to oust the council’s Chief Executive and alleged union sledges.

In July 2016, his home and council office was raided by the Independent Commission Against Corruption.

At the time, he said he was “delighted” about it and that ICAC was acting on his invitation in order to clear his name.

Former Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun and his son Solomon, during his Mayoral term. Picture: Supplied

After his mayoral term, he also worked as a real estate agent and currently as a self-employed project manager.

His wife, Liverpool Liberal councillor Tina Ayyad, will not running again.