A relative newcomer to the Greater Shepparton City Council, Seema Abdullah comes with abundant enthusiasm as well as being equipped as a project management professional with a masters degree in business administration.
She has been touched by the robes of office having served as Deputy Mayor in 2018 and will be seeking to contest the role of Mayor.
“Leadership is about fostering respectful relationships, appreciating the diversity of opinions and being able to make difficult decisions based on merit,” she said.
“I have served as the chair on the Goulburn Valley Waste and Resource Recovery group which is a partnership of six councils in the region as well as being very active in council matters.’
In consideration of the Shepparton CBD space, Cr Abdullah sees retail globally is in decline so while the council can create and revitalise the environment, retailers need to step up to their side of the agreement. Shoppers are looking for retailers to be open on weekends. “There is little anyone can do if the stores are not going to open when the public is out shopping.”
Seema and her family migrated to Australia in 2004 and she followed her surgeon husband north to Shepparton (where he is now practising), armed with an interest in civic matters, contested and won a seat on the council in 2016.
