Introducing Cumberland Council's newly elected Councillors.
The following Councillors were elected in the 2024 Local Government elections held on 14 September 2024.
Granville Ward
Councillor Steve Christou (Our Local Community)
Phone: 0419 651 187
Steve.Christou@cumberland.nsw.gov.au
Clr Christou is now into his third term on Cumberland Council. Having been elected as part of the Inaugural Councillors when Cumberland Council was formed in 2017 Steve is a previous Mayor of Cumberland City Council and has worked for a Federal Member of Parliament for close to 10 years. Steve specialises in a large range of constituent matters. Steve has a good understanding of Policy, Logistics, and experience with most Federal, State, and Council matters namely Centrelink, Child Support, Immigration, Medicare, Family Law, Internet Connectivity, & Housing, Development Regulations.
Steve has a strong connection with local sporting clubs and regularly liaises with constituent groups, sporting organisations, Members of Parliament and Foreign Dignitaries along with relevant National Governing Bodies, to assist and provide desired outcomes for the residents of Cumberland and its organisations.
Councillor Joseph Rahme (Liberal)
Phone: 0418 995 471
Joseph.Rahme@cumberland.nsw.gov.au
Clr Rahme holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce majoring in accounting and finance from the University of NSW. He is currently a Certified Practising Accountant, member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and JP.
Clr Rahme is a lifelong resident of Granville which he is passionate about. He continues to raise his young family in Granville and is committed to making the Granville Ward a better place for families and residents.
Councillor Ola Hamed (Labor)
Phone: 0405 070 007
Ola.Hamed@cumberland.nsw.gov.au
Clr Hamed is a long-term Cumberland resident, who is proudly raising her two children with her husband in Merrylands. She has been involved in many community organisations, assisting families and their children.
Clr Hamed has a passion for social justice and equality and as a local resident, knows what is needed for the Cumberland area. Ola is committed to working with the community to make a difference.
Greystanes Ward
Councillor Diane Colman (Labor)
Phone: 0400 279 200
Diane.Colman@cumberland.nsw.gov.au
Dr Diane Colman, a lecturer at Western Sydney University, is passionate about ensuring equality for all Cumberland residents.
Diane has lived locally all her life, raised her two daughters here and understands our area. Clr Colman is a strong and influential voice for building a fair and thriving local community.
Councillor Eddy Sarkis (Independent)
Phone: 0425 348 000
Eddy.Sarkis@cumberland.nsw.gov.au
Clr Sarkis is a proud father of 4 and a Greystanes resident for over 40 years. As a Councillor on the former Holroyd City Council and now Cumberland City Council, Eddy has been serving his local community for over 18 years.
Eddy is a local business operator who specialises in property and vocational training. Eddy is a keen advocate for the community in all local matters, no matter how small, simple or complex they may be.
Councillor Nadima Kafrouni-Saba (Liberal)
Phone: 0447 605 158
Nadima.Kafrouni-Saba@cumberland.nsw.gov.au
Clr Kafrouni-Saba is a lifelong resident of Cumberland City and a former Councillor / Deputy Mayor of Holroyd City Council. She is now raising her young family in Cumberland. She holds a property law degree from Macquarie University.
Deeply passionate about her community, Nadima is dedicated to advocating for the Greystanes Ward, ensuring residents feel supported and receive the quality services they deserve.
Regents Park Ward
Councillor Enver Yasar (Labor)
Phone: 0497 428 929
Enver.Yasar@cumberland.nsw.gov.au
Councillor Helen Hughes (Our Local Community)
Phone: 0400 264 534
Helen.Hughes@cumberland.nsw.gov.au
Clr Hughes is a life-long resident of Lidcombe, as teenager she volunteered at a range of organisations and groups, a passion that has carried into her adult life. Clr Hughes has a strong interest in community matters and is passionate about creating change.
Clr Hughes is currently a corporate Governance Officer and has a history in local government, education, and board secretariat roles.
Councillor Steve Yang (Liberal)
Phone: 0448 836 197
Steve.Yang@cumberland.nsw.gov.au
South Granville Ward
Councillor Paul Garrard (Our Local Community)
Phone: 0414 504 504
Paul.Garrard@cumberland.nsw.gov.au
Clr Garrard lives locally and was educated at Benedict College, Auburn.
After serving as Lord Mayor of Parramatta, he was elected to the newly formed council of Cumberland and was re-elected in 2021.
Clr Garrard has a keen focus on promoting the resident character of local neighbourhoods.
Councillor Ahmed Ouf (Independent)
Phone: 0436 936 553
Ahmed.Ouf@cumberland.nsw.gov.au
Councillor Glenn Elmore (Labor)
Phone: 0418 459 527
Glenn.Elmore@cumberland.nsw.gov.au
Clr Elmore is a long-term resident of Cumberland stemming from four generations of his family having also lived in the area. He was educated at a local school and the University of Sydney.
Clr Elmore is passionate about Cumberland and improving the quality of life by consulting with residents on decision making to improve the safety, wellbeing, and local infrastructure in Cumberland and providing employment opportunities for young people and services for seniors.
Wentworthville Ward
Councillor Michael Zaiter (Liberal)
Phone: 0418 432 797
Michael.Zaiter@cumberland.nsw.gov.au
Clr Zaiter is a chartered accountant with local government audit experience.
He has a degree in taxation and a Master of Commerce.
He served as a Councillor on Holroyd City Council and has been a Councillor on Cumberland City Council since 2017. He is passionate about ensuring that families and ratepayers receive value for money and the services that they deserve.
Councillor Suman Saha (Labor)
Phone: 0419 546 950
Suman.Saha@cumberland.nsw.gov.au
Clr Saha has lived in the Cumberland area since 2005 with his family. He was first elected as Councillor in 2017 and continues to work towards a diverse, inclusive, and active community.
With a degree in accounting, Suman understands the importance of strong economic management and works hard to keep the community’s assets from being sold off. He continues to advocate for local road safety improvements, improved service delivery, local parks and playground upgrades. As a father, Suman has a genuine interest in ensuring that his family and your family grow up in a safe, supportive and caring community.
Councillor Sujan Selventhiran (Greens)
Phone: 0427 104 940
Sujan.Selventhiran@cumberland.nsw.gov.au
Councillor expenses
The Councillor Expenses and Facilities Policy (PDF, 148KB) has been prepared in accordance with the Local Government Act 1993 (the Act) and Local Government (General) Regulation 2021 (the Regulation), and complies with the Office of Local Government’s Guidelines for the payment of expenses and provision of facilities to Mayors and Councillors in NSW.
The policy advises that detailed reports on the provision of expenses and facilities to Councillors will be publicly tabled at a Council meeting every 6 months and published in full on Council’s website. These reports will include expenditure summarised by an individual Councillor and as a total for all Councillors.
Report
View the Councillor Expenses Report for year ending 30 June 2023 (PDF, 177KB)
Disclaimer: Social media accounts operated by Councillors represent the personal views of those elected representatives and not the official views of Council. Councillors identifying themselves as Councillors on social media platforms are bound by Council’s Code of Conduct and Social Media Policy.
