Mr Dib has been unanimously endorsed as the NSW Labor candidate for the new seat of Bankstown, following boundary redistributions by the NSW electoral commission which wiped out the seat of Lakemba, and the resignation of Ms Mihailuk from the party, who is standing as an Independent.
Ms Mihailuk resigned after being dumped from Labor’s shadow cabinet when she raised what Labor Leader Chris Minns suggested was “unsubstantiated” corruption allegations under parliamentary privilege.
Mr Dib has represented the seat of Lakemba since 2015 and been a senior Shadow Minister since 2016. Previously he was the highly regarded Principal of Punchbowl Boys High School, a board member of the Australia Day Council, the NSW Community Relations Commission and SBS Community Advisory Committee; he is also the Shadow Minister for Energy, Climate Change and Emergency Services.
His focus, if elected next March, will be on rebuilding Canterbury Hospital, delivering a new Bankstown Hospital, fixing State roads, addressing the cost-of-living crisis families face and enhancing opportunities for our diverse community.
He said the State Government “has left Bankstown behind … We need a change and a better deal for roads and infrastructure.”
“People know me. People know what I stand for. I look forward to continuing to build on that as I represent the suburb of Bankstown and parts of Yagoona in the new electorate (which incorporates 70 per cent of the existing seat of Lakemba),” Mr Dib said.
“This community is doing it tougher than we ever have. Right now there are people who can’t repay their mortgages, can’t afford electricity bills and who travel on congested roads because they can’t afford the toll.
“I want to be a voice at the decision-making table for this community.”
