“I would like to thank my fellow Councillors for the trust they place in me to lead our City for the next year,” Mayor El-Hayek said.
“I have achieved much in the past four months, like hosting my own domestic violence summit and Mayoral Sleepout, and I can’t wait to do even more for the community.”
Mayor El-Hayek arrived in Australia in 1999, at the age of 12. Not speaking a word of English, he temporarily resided in Lakemba before eventually settling in Greenacre.
He was elected to the City of Canterbury Bankstown in September 2017 and has served twice as Deputy Mayor.
He has also served as a youth coordinator at Bankstown Police Citizens and Youth Club and is an active member on the Ramadan, Diversity and Inclusivity and Audit and Risk committees.
Mayor El-Hayek congratulated Deputy Mayor Harika on the new appointment, and said he looked forward to working with her over the next year.
Councillor Harika is a lifelong Yagoona resident and has been a Councillor for the Bass Hill Ward since 2017.
“I would also like to thank Councillor Clare Raffan, for the great job she has done (as former deputy),” Mayor El-Hayek said.
