New City of Mandurah North Ward councillor Ahmed Zilani is ready to make waves in the Peel council, with the newly elected representative set to fulfil the role on a full-time basis.
After coming close in the 2017 poll, Mr Zilani was elected ahead of incumbent councillor Ron Wortley in the local government elections earlier this month.
Originally from Bangladesh, the new councillor studied in the United States and moved to Western Australia with his family in 2010.
Mr Zilani said he was delighted to have won the voters' trust and his success was a win for multiculturalism.
"I am proud to be Bangladeshi, to be a Muslim and to have dark skin," he said.
"Australia has been so good to me - I want to give something back.
"Mandurah is my home town now - I want to live here all my life."
Mr Zilani is an advocate for the establishment of a new train station in Lakelands and said he would fight for it to become a reality.
"I think it has had an impact - lots of people want the station," he said.
"It is not a city council job, it is a state government job - but I am going to push very hard.
"I know council don't have the power to create the station, but I will try to convince the council to create pressure on the state government. People need that station."
Mr Zilani, who said he was not aligned to any political party, said some of his priorities were community safety, a rates freeze and promoting activities for young people.
"A rates freeze - I am strongly behind this," he said.
"As a new councillor I want to see where the waste is or if we can reduce costs. I don't want to stop projects - but I want to see how we can manage our wastage.
"We need to let the residents relax by not increasing the rates.
"We have to work together for the community - division does not give anything. We need to work together as a team."
Gareth McKnight
Gareth McKnight is Mandurah Mail's editor.
Gareth McKnight is Mandurah Mail's editor.
