By YASEMIN TALAT
FORMER Brimbank mayor Natalie Suleyman is hoping to make a political comeback and represent the people of St Albans in a new role.
Ms Suleyman was last month named the preselected Australian Labor Party candidate for the new State seat of St Albans, over fellow Labor party member Anthony van der Craats.
An internal vote among Labor party members resulted in Ms Suleyman gaining a staggering 93 per cent of the total votes.
“I’m very humbled and overwhelmed by the enormous support of the local Labor members and I’m honoured to have been preselected as a Labor candidate for the new seat of St Albans,” Ms Suleyman said.
Ms Suleyman said she felt passionate about representing the St Albans community, especially having lived in St Albans her whole life.
Her highest priorities for the area included fixing St Albans and Furlong Rd rail crossings.
“Labor has committed to fixing St Albans station and also Furlong Rd rail crossing,” she said.
“I think there needs to be much more money invested towards the infrastructure in the West, things such as the railway crossings are important, public transport, linking our networks and Sunshine Hospital, they are my priorities,” she said.
Since leaving Brimbank Council in 2008 Ms Suleyman has continued to be active within the community.
“I continue to work actively in various campaigns including the last election, I work for a very active member of parliament and I continue to be involved with various community groups,” Ms Suleyman said.
“I’m just very proud and humbled to be the candidate of the Labor party and I’m looking forward to the challenge and advocating for the issues that matter to the people.”
If elected the three-time Brimbank mayor will also be the first Australian of Turkish Cypriot background to be in parliament which she said would be a great honour.
