WARATAH WARD
Suburbs: Doveton, Eumemmering, Hallam and Hampton Park
Candidates: Nasser Yawari, Stefan Koomen (Australian Labor Party), Burak Dilbaz, Ezatullah Alam (ALP), Jamel Kaur Singh
STEFAN KOOMEN
Suburb of residence: Doveton.
How long have you lived in the City of Casey? 13 years.
Political party (past or present): I’m running as an independent candidate, not for a party, because politics doesn’t belong in local council. I’ll represent the interests of residents without outside influence. I’m traditionally a Labor supporter – as I value workers’ rights, health, housing, and education.
Occupation, business/employer name: Senior Electorate Officer, Parliament of Victoria.
Property interests: Family home in Doveton with my wife, Catriona.
Business interests: None. No conflicts of interest.
Three most important issues for your ward: Better Basic Services: Essential services like rubbish removal, park maintenance, and road repairs in Hallam, Doveton, Eumemmerring and Hampton Park need urgent attention. Public Spaces and Infrastructure: Our suburbs have been overlooked. Hampton Park Central and Autumn Place must receive their fair share of resources to improve public spaces and community facilities. Community Safety: Improve safety through better-maintained public spaces, better communication with local police, and youth programs to prevent anti-social behaviour.
Describe your involvement in the local community: I’m a genuine local – I live, work, and volunteer in Waratah Ward, where my wife, Catriona, and I are raising our kids. I led the successful ’Save Doveton Pool’ campaign to stop the council demolishing this local treasure. I’m an active Justice of the Peace, chair our local resident group (DETA), and serve as Treasurer of the Doveton Show and Casey’s John Pandazopoulos Community Hall.
Why are you standing for election? I’m running to ensure our suburbs get the attention and fair share of investment they deserve. As a local resident and community leader, I understand first-hand the issues facing our area and want to bring a local voice to council.
What is your campaign budget? I’m fully self-funded and plan to spend $5,000 on printing and advertising.
Who are your campaign donors? How much have each contributed? I’ve chosen not to accept any donations for my election campaign. I’m using personal savings to ensure I can make decisions in the best interests of residents, not developers or other groups.
What councillors, ex-councillors, MPs or ex-MPs have assisted or advised your campaign? No direct assistance, but I’ve spoken to many local representatives – current and retired – to gain insights about how to best serve Casey and improve our community and council for residents.
Who will you direct your preferences to? I haven’t decided on my preferences yet. I will speak to each candidate and make a decision based on their values and priorities for our ward.
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BURAK DILBAZ
Suburb of residence: Eumemmerring.
How long have you lived in the City of Casey? Five years.
Political party (past or present): Was a Labor member in 2020 for 18 months. No current membership with any party.
Occupation, business/employer name: Finance broker. My own business Xubi.
Property interests: Unsure what you mean?
Business interests: My finance broking and an engineering business.
Three most important issues for your ward: Crime – YoY increase of 13 per cent in Casey from 2023. Trust – need for transparency considering last council was sacked and the legacy issues that will remain as a result of the controversy. Overdevelopment – ensuring council has adequate resources to efficiently assess planning applications that encourage valued investment and development in the area. Stop development where roads/infrastructure can NOT meet the future and ongoing traffic needs such as Smith’s Lane in Clyde North and Thompsons/Soldiers Rd incompetence.
Why are you standing for election? I believe I have; the time commitment, consultative communication skills, effective leadership and influence, accountability, community relationships to shape and influence the improvement of my community.
What is your campaign budget? Undisclosed but self-funded.
Who are your campaign donors? How much have each contributed? NA.
What councillors, ex-councillors, MPs or ex-MPs have assisted or advised your campaign? NA.
Who will you direct your preferences to? Still to be determined.
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JAMEL KAUR SINGH
Suburb of residence: Eumemmerring, 3177 (In the Waratah Ward).
How long have you lived in The City of Casey? 14 years.
Political party (past or present): Nil. Never been affiliated or a member of any political party.
Occupation, business/employer name: I’m a local business owner. I own Fin Plus Pty Ltd, Focus Buyers Pty Ltd and Consulting. Fin Plus is Finance Broking firm and I am on the council of FBAA (Finance Broking Association of Australia), Focus Buyers is Buyers Agents and Consultsingh is my Corporate Cultural Change Consulting business. I am the author of five kids’ books, and help deliver Cultural Education in schools nationally.
Property interests: I own three properties, two in Eumemmerring. My son (22) owns property in Clyde North, Dandenong and Norlane, my daughter (23) owns an apartment in Balwyn North.
Business interests: Finance, Real Estate, Corporate Culture (DEI), Schools and Education.
Three most important issues for your ward: Inclusion, Integrity and Opportunity. There are many issues that plague our constituency. From Crime (Drugs), and services to potholes and more. Hallam residents have complained about the stresses of unsolicited parking, Doveton’s residence and business owners are worried with the increased crime, Hampton Park needs more help with teaching parents responsible parenting and consequences for youth crime. Each area has varying needs. I’m about articulating our constituency needs and taking action on bringing services, businesses and residences together. Advocating as required and looking at Casey’s overall corporate governance.
Describe your involvement in the local community: I have been playing, umpiring and coaching netball for years. My mum was the founder and president of various interfaith organisations including Womens Interfaith Network Foundation and Centre of Melbourne Multifaith and Others Network. I have worked and volunteered in varying capacities for these grassroots community organisations for decades, as a project manager, web designer, event coordinator, MC and more. I have run and volunteered for food drives, disaster relief and more.
Why are you standing for election? With grassroots community engagement, a Bachelor of Business, and an MBA, I bring a strong skillset and experience. I’ve served on boards across finance, business, not-for-profits, community sports, interfaith, and schools, providing me with hands-on expertise and motivation to effectively serve as your councillor. My vision for Casey is a community where everyone feels safe, supported, and valued. I want to see our neighbourhoods become vibrant and inclusive, with access to services addressing issues like crime, healthcare, and housing. Where local voices are heard, streets maintained, and every resident has the opportunity to thrive.
What is your campaign budget? About $1500 (printing of corflutes and DL only) – fully self-funded (family have helped).
Who are your campaign donors? How much have each contributed? I have received no donation from anyone, any business or organisation, bar my brother has helped with printing costs. We (the family) have been self-letterboxing my one and only DL.
What councillors, ex-councillors, MPs or ex-MPs have assisted or advised your campaign? None.
Who will you direct your preferences to? No one. I’m going [at] it on my own and will not be promoting any other candidate… each to their own – but I don’t think politics should sway the work that needs to be done. We are there representing our entire council constituency…
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NASSER YAWARI
How long have you lived in the City of Casey? Over ten years.
Political party (past or present): I am an independent candidate with no political party affiliations or memberships.
Occupation, business/employer name: I work with Jesuit Social Services as an advocate and mentor, where I have helped over 1,800 local residents find employment and stand up for their rights.
Property interests: NIL.
Business interests: NIL.
Three most important issues for your ward: 1. Rising Crime Rates: Increasing incidents of theft, burglary, and youth crime are concerning. Contributing factors include unemployment, lack of awareness about the consequences of crime, and insufficient CCTV coverage. 2. Unfair Council Budget Allocation: There is an imbalance in the council budget, which fails to adequately prioritise the needs of women, seniors, and local sports clubs. Our community deserves a fairer distribution of resources. 3. Lack of Council Accountability: The council’s poor Google ratings reflect widespread dissatisfaction with its services, indicating a lack of transparency and accountability. The council has become more politicised, losing focus on the real needs of its residents. I am standing for election to be a true representative of our community—someone who has worked closely with local families and understands their challenges. I believe we need an independent voice on the council who will prioritise residents over politics and bring positive change.
Describe your involvement in the local community: I hold qualifications in human rights [and] In addition to my advocacy work, I am a public speaker for Jesuit Social Services, raising awareness about social injustice and promoting community integration.
Why are you standing for election? My engagement with vulnerable families has made me become aware of the gap between the council and the community. This motivated me to run for council to ensure that our local government remains focused on residents’ needs rather than political interests.
What is your campaign budget? Regarding my campaign budget, I have allocated up to $10,000 from my own pocket without any campaign donors.
Who are your campaign donors? None.
How much have each contributed? None.
What councillors, ex-councillors, MPs or ex-MPs have assisted or advised your campaign? NIL.
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EZATULLAH ALAM
Suburb of residence: Hallam
How long have you lived in The City of Casey? For almost two decades.
Political party (past or present): I am running as an independent because I believe politics should stay at the State and Federal levels of our government. Council should be a community based institution. Traditionally I am Labor supporter- as I value workers’ rights and a fair go for everyone.
Occupation, business/employer name: I have worked in various government departments, including the City of Casey as an Integrity Officer between 2022 to 2023. Currently I work at the Department of Treasury and Finance Victoria.
Property interests: I am living with my family in Hallam and have a property in Doveton.
Business interests: None.
Three most important issues for your ward:
1. Championing integrity and transparency
2. Improving public services
3. Better maintenance of parks and public spaces
4. Ensuring safer streets for residents and reduced crime rates
Describe your involvement in the local community: I actively volunteer to assist residents from multicultural communities with navigating local government issues. I have organized various social, cultural, and sports events since 2014 to engage and empower our community.
Why are you standing for election? I am standing for election to advocate for residents’ rights, address community concerns, and create a more inclusive and supportive environment for all residents in the Waratah Ward.
What is your campaign budget? With the exception of my family and community support, I am fully self-funded and plan to spend $5000 on advertising to engage local residents in the Waratah Ward.
Who are your campaign donors? Family and community.
How much have each contributed? N/A
What councillors, ex-councillors, MPs or ex-MPs have assisted or advised your campaign? No direct assistance. I have lived and worked in our community. Beside this, I have seen it first hand and have spoken with the residents in our community therefore, I know exactly what our community need to see changed at our council to properly serve our community.
Who will you direct your preferences to? I will direct my preferences towards candidates who align with my vision for a stronger, more inclusive community and those who prioritise public service and engagement.
What councillors, ex-councillors, MPs or ex-MPs have assisted or advised your campaign? NIL.
