Arabic version: ماكلين يُنتخب أصغر عمدة لورد لباراماتا

According to ABC News, Labor councillor Cameron Maclean has been elected Parramatta City Council’s youngest-ever lord mayor after a council meeting on Monday night. The 28-year-old won the mayoralty with a deciding vote from Councillor Tanya Raffoul, who announced she had left the Liberal Party on Monday morning.

Maclean said there had been no deal with Raffoul. He said she sincerely believed the Liberal Party was heading in the wrong direction, and thanked her for her support and courage in resigning from a political party. Raffoul said in a social media statement that the party’s policy and values alignment with “a divisive political party” and its willingness to marginalise multicultural Australians, particularly in Western Sydney, was disappointing.

Raffoul said multicultural communities across Western Sydney were among the region’s greatest strengths and deserved representation and respect. She said she would not resign from council and would continue serving the Dundas ward. Maclean, first elected to council in 2021, replaces outgoing mayor Martin Zaiter, who had held the position since 2024.

Independent councillor Kellie Darley was elected deputy mayor at the same meeting. Darley, who won a court battle with the council more than a year ago after it censured her over criticism of a million-dollar Parramatta Eels partnership, called for stronger whistleblower protections in local government. Maclean said he was committed to greater transparency and that staff should feel safe and valued. He will serve as lord mayor for two years, while Darley will hold the deputy role for one year.