Cumberland councillor Steve Christou exits party after they negotiated with Labor

·

In a significant political shake-up, Cumberland councillor Steve Christou has severed ties with the Our Local Community (OLC) party and intends to establish a breakaway group alongside a controversial Liverpool councillor who has previously faced fines for distributing Islamophobic flyers.

Last week, Christou announced his immediate resignation to OLC leader Paul Garrard, just over a month after being re-elected to the Granville ward. His departure comes two weeks following the election of his Labor rival, Ola Hamed, as mayor, a position secured with the support of the Liberals during a heated council meeting.

In a statement, Christou, who served as mayor from 2019 to 2021, expressed his disappointment regarding the OLC’s negotiations with Labor in an attempt to broker a deal related to the mayoralty ahead of the vote on October 16.

“I was never in favour of this arrangement and had made my feelings expressly clear that I would not vote for such an arrangement when voting for the mayor in council’s chamber,” he remarked.

In the wake of the election, Cr Hamed called for the council to move beyond the “toxicity” that characterised the previous term, while Liberal Cr Joseph Rahme justified his decision to support Labor, citing a significant decline in trust towards the OLC in the lead-up to the vote.

Christou’s discontent with the OLC’s alliance with Labor was evident as he stated, “For over five years and two council terms, I have worked very hard to turn the council seat of Granville from a safe Labor seat where two councillors should be getting elected into a marginal seat, ensuring the Labor Party is only able to have one councillor elected to the Granville ward.”

Source: The Daily Telegraph.

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Dr Christos Theologos: ‘Dance keeps us bound to our roots, from Chios to Sydney’

As part of the Zeibekiko Festival Australia, respected folklorist Dr Christos Theologos will lead a series of lectures and workshops.

South Melbourne turns to supporters ahead of Australian Championship kick-off

The opening clash of the Australian Championship will be an event shaped by the voices of the fans themselves.

Low birth rates and ageing: The silent enemy of the Greek nation

From the late 1990s it had become clear to Greek demographers and social scientists that the number of births in Greece was falling.

Peta Trimis: The new star of Australian football with a Hellenic soul

At just 19 years old, Peta Trimis is already being hailed as one of the brightest young stars of Australian football.

A second chance at life: Angelo Alateras’ journey from mechanical heart to transplant hope

After years on life support, 80kgs lost, and 615 days of physio, Angelo finally received the gift of a new heart.

You May Also Like

Greek Foreign Ministry condemns Russia’s missile attacks on multiple Ukrainian cities

Greece's Foreign Ministry has denounced the attacks, writing "We condemn today's missile attacks against civilians in Ukrainian cities."

Documentary on Nelson Mandela’s lawyer George Bizos to feature at Greek Film Festival

The Greek Festival of Sydney will present a special tribute documentary for the lawyer of Nelson Mandela, titled ‘George Bizos ICON.’

Hellenic Museum is about Hellenism, not just about Greece: An interview with Sarah Craig

Hellenic Museum CEO Sarah Craig explains that Melbourne's Hellenic Museum is less about the immigrant story and more about the Greek DNA.