Moselmane calls it a day after 16 years

The Leader

LABOR MLC for Rockdale and councillor of 16 years, Shaoquett Moselmane, announced his resignation from the council yesterday.

The council will apply to Local Government Minister Don Page for an order that the vacancy left by councillor Moselmane's resignation not be filled until the local government elections in September.

Councils can make such applications where a vacancy occurs 18 months before an election.

Cr Moselmane has been an Australian Labor Party member for 28 years.

He has held several posts in local branches, including secretary and president of the Rockdale State Electorate Council.

A lawyer, Cr Moselmane said it was an "honour and a privilege" to have served the people of Rockdale as a councillor and mayor.

He has been a councillor at Rockdale for 16 years, since 1995, including four terms as mayor, most recently in 2009.

He stepped down from the mayoralty after his appointment to the NSW upper house.

Cr Moselmane said that he would continue to serve the people of Rockdale in his capacity as a state upper house MP.

Among his achievements, Cr Moselmane included protesting against the M5 east ventilation stack, council rate rises and assisting Arncliffe resident Joan Coleman, 94, to fight against closure of Arncliffe's Commonwealth Bank branch.

He said he was resigning from the council to make way for the new councillors who would be elected in the state's upcoming local government elections.

"When I stepped down as mayor I made sure there would not be a by-election," Cr Moselmane said.