Rousing cheers as Choudhury sworn in as Campbelltown's Deputy Mayor

Thunderous cheers erupted through the public gallery as Cr Masood Choudhury was sworn in as Campbelltown’s new Deputy Mayor for a year, marking a proud milestone in a remarkable local story spanning almost four decades.

Unanimously elected and praised across the chamber as one of our most visible, affable Mayors, Cr Darcy Lound resumed the Mayoral seat.

The affection was unmistakable, with family, friends and supporters overflowing from the packed chamber as Choudhury took on the city’s second-highest civic role.

But amid the celebration, his thoughts quickly turned to the job ahead and a city he believes can look better, feel better and do more for its people.

“For me, being on Council has always been about one thing: what can I do for the Campbelltown community?” Choudhury told Good Morning Macarthur.

“That has been my aim and my commitment for the past 10 years, and as Deputy Mayor I will continue working even harder for our community.”

High on his agenda is something he has repeatedly raised during his years on Council: beautifying Campbelltown and its suburbs.

“I’ve raised this on Council a number of times because I think it matters to both residents and visitors that our city looks welcoming and beautiful,” he said.

“For example, why can’t we take the example from other Councils and have beautiful flowers and landscaping on our roundabouts rather than simply filling them with woodchips? These little things can make a real difference to how people feel about their city.”

And then there is Queen Street.

“Yes, we still have so much to do with Queen Street,” he said.

It is an issue Choudhury intends to pursue with renewed determination as Deputy Mayor, particularly as businesses continue to call for greater attention to Campbelltown’s traditional city centre.

Also firmly in his sights: a focus on our aging population, fostering youth ideas and connectivity with decision makers and affordable housing.

“I understand the later is a State issue, but we can still advocate”, he says passionately, “for accommodation that is affordable not by label but truly affordable for our residents’ pockets!”

His elevation is another chapter in a distinctly Campbelltown migrant story.

Masood Choudhury arrived in Australia from Bangladesh in 1988 as a student, with a minor interest in politics.

“I think it’s a sub-continent thing,” he laughs. “Australians get together and talk about sport, we get together and talk about politics.”

Choudhury initially lived in Surry Hills, working as a kitchen hand and later a waiter before moving to Minto on the recommendation of a family friend, largely because it was affordable.

At the time, he recalls there being just 53 Bangladeshi families in the area.

“That’s how I ended up here,” he said.

He also drove part-time to support himself and joined the transport union, seeking some security and connection in a country where he initially knew few people.

Politics soon followed.

Choudhury joined the Labor Party in 1991 and became increasingly involved in the local community, driven by a belief that politics should improve the everyday lives of ordinary people.

“Politics is about making people’s lives better, particularly working people,” he said.

“Many migrants come here, work incredibly hard and build new lives for their families. I believed Labor understood working people and multicultural communities, and that was what attracted me.”

In 2016, encouraged in large part by respected local Labor figure the late Wal Glynn, Choudhury stood for Campbelltown City Council as number six on Labor’s ticket.

He was elected alongside Cr Karen Hunt and a decade later, is now among the more experienced councillors around the chamber after Meg Oates and Mayor Darcy Lound.

Today as President of one of the largest Labor branches in New South Wales (Ingleburn/Macquarie Fields), with the Deputy Mayor’s chain around his neck and the cheers of supporters still ringing through the chamber, Choudhury feels the time is right to amplify his voice even more for the betterment of his growing local community.

“I came to this country with very little, and Campbelltown gave me a home, a community and the opportunity to build a life for my family,” he said.

“Now I have the opportunity to give something back. Titles come and go, but what you do for people is what remains and I want to make every day in this role count for Campbelltown.”