Lisa Lake elected as Cumberland Mayor, Kun Huang the deputy

A western Sydney council that was thrust into the national spotlight after it became the epicentre of the Covid outbreak has voted in a new mayor.

Cumberland councillor Steve Christou’s outspoken reign as mayor is over after the council switched to Labor control, handing over the top job to Lisa Lake who wants to “get on with it”.

“The diversity at this table (in cultural background, gender and age) brings with it a broad range of experiences and skills that I know will enhance decision-making and public confidence in this council,’’ Cr Lake said.

“People who know me know that I love our local area and so I’m really thrilled to be given this opportunity to serve.’’

A Wentworthville resident for over 30 years, Cr Lake also practised as a solicitor for 16 years and served on the former Holroyd Council where she successfully drove a campaign to save Wentworthville pool from closing.

Cr Lake said her priorities would be “very practical” to deliver the need of the rapidly growing Cumberland community, where 300,000 people are expected to live by 2036.

That includes dynamic libraries, sportsgrounds to meet “conflicting demands”, diverse social and affordable housing, and inviting and thriving town centres.

Fellow Labor representative Kun Huang was elected deputy mayor on Wednesday night after defeating former Liberal turned independent Joseph Rahme.

Cr Christou did not nominate as mayor. His fellow Our Local Community member Eddy Sarkis went for the top job but was outnumbered when seven other Labor councillors, and independent Greg Cummings, secured Cr Lake the mayoral chains.

Eddy Sarkis lost the bid to become Deputy Mayor. Picture: Angelo Velardo

Lisa Lake at Wentworthville Swimming Centre in March after it reopened following an upgrade. Picture: Monique Harmer

Cr Christou became the mayor in September 2019 after quitting the Labor Party, saying that the party had become too left-leaning and no longer represented his values.

During the Delta outbreak, when Covid ravaged Cumberland and it became one of the worst hot spots in Australia, Cr Christou was criticised after comparing the restrictions to Nazi Germany.

He also lashed out at the councillors who tuned in to council meetings via Zoom during the height of the Delta wave, despite following public health orders.

A plan to privatise the council’s swimming pools and childcare centres was met with potent community backlash but Cr Christou reversed the proposals, despite denying it was a political backflip.

Steve Christou shortly after he was elected the mayor in September 2019. Picture: Angelo Velardo

He was re-elected as mayor in October but failed to have enough support this time.

Cr Christou will remain a councillor in the Granville ward. Along with Cr Sarkis, his fellow Our Local Community representatives are local government veteran Paul Garrard and newcomer Helen Hughes.

Labor rules the chamber after Cr Lake, Cr Huang, Ola Hamed, Diane Colman, Sabrin Farooqui, Glenn Elmore, Suman Saha and Mohamad Hussein were elected following the December 4 poll.

Independent councillors are Cr Cummings and former Liberals Cr Rahme and Michael Zaiter. Ned Attie failed to be re-elected after running as an independent following the Liberal party state executive’s decision to ban candidates running in certain councils, including Cumberland and Parramatta.

Cr Lake will serve as mayor until September 2023.

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