What is your name, political party and electorate?
Justin Mulder, Community Champions, North Rocks Ward Parramatta
Tell us about your background both personally and professionally
I hold a bachelor’s degree in economics & politics and graduate certificates in business administration and urban and regional planning, and I have over 20 years’ experience working across Commonwealth, State and Local Government as a Chief of Staff and Senior Adviser. More recently, I’ve supported the leadership of the City of Parramatta as the Chief of Staff to six Lord Mayors and as a member of Council’s Executive Team.
I was raised in Castle Hill and my wife Maria and I have lived in Northmead since 2006. We are members of Christ the King Parish at North Rocks and together have two sons aged 17 and 14 and a daughter aged 11. I have served on the Executive Committee of a local football Club, including two terms as Vice President Youth, and I’m a registered NDIS Volunteer, supporting clients leading healthy active lives.
As a family we have been involved with many local sporting clubs, including North Rocks Soccer Club, Roselea FC, Rydalmere FC, Parramatta FC, Carlingford Flames Netball Club, Hills Basketball and Parramatta Little Athletics. In my spare time I enjoy playing six a side football, gardening, motorcycling, reading and supporting my wife and kids in their many sporting pursuits.
What are some things you love about your electorate?
Maria and I moved to Northmead just as we were about to start a family, because it combines so many of the things we were looking for. We love the leafy green suburbs and the diverse multicultural community, the local bushland and walking tracks, proximity to the Parramatta CBD and the Westmead medical precinct (where Maria works as a scientist at the Children’s Hospital) and the local food scene.
What do you believe are the 3 main issues affecting your electorate and why?
- Concerns around increasing housing density in suburban areas
- Insufficient community infrastructure and open space
- Traffic and parking congestion on local roads and a lack of public transport options
What are the 3 key things you plan to achieve if elected?
- Protecting and enhancing the character of our suburbs and town centres, along with cleaner, more vibrant neighbourhoods and healthier waterways and bushland
- Delivering community infrastructure and open space to match our growing population, including recreational spaces for older kids and teenagers
- Advocating for solutions to traffic and parking congestion on our local roads and improving the connectivity and accessibility to and from the Parramatta CBD and surrounding areas. (Many residents in Northmead, Winston Hills, North Rocks and Carlingford tell me they avoid the Parramatta CBD because of issues with wayfinding, parking and traffic).
What about your long term vision for the area?
Working closely with senior leaders has provided me a deep appreciation of the extraordinary responsibility that comes with public office. Parramatta deserves new leadership that will put residents before politics and represent the community to deliver the best possible services, infrastructure and vision for our City.
It is my aspiration to continue to work in genuine partnership with the community to advance Parramatta as a leading, innovative, caring and sustainable City, that nurtures the prosperity and well-being of all residents, through world-class employment, education, business, entertainment and cultural opportunities.
- Website: communitychampions.au/justinmulder/
- Email: justin@communitychampions.au
- Mobile: 0408 032 911
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/justinmulder.communitychampions/