SYDNEY: Through July & August 2025, newly appointed Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU) Political Affairs Director, Mr. Sebastian Majarian, conducted meetings with local government officials across Sydney’s Central and Northern suburbs.
Over the past two months, the ANC-AU office staff engaged in formal meetings with more than a dozen newly elected councillors from Willoughby City Council, North Sydney Council, Ryde City Council, and Northern Beaches Council — marking the first official introductions since their election in late 2024.
These meetings served as an opportunity to familiarise the new local government representatives with the peak public affairs body of the Armenian-Australian community and to raise key issues impacting Armenian-Australians.
Meetings were held with: Councillor (Clr) Mandeep Singh JP (Northern Beaches Council); Clr Bob Giltinan OAM (Northern Beaches Council); Mayor Zoe Baker (North Sydney Council); Clr Shannon Welch (North Sydney Council); Clr Efi Carr (North Sydney Council); C;r Keanu Arya (City of Ryde); Clr Justin Li (City of Ryde); Clr Cameron Last (City of Ryde); Clr Sarah Royds (Willoughby City Council); Clr Michelle Chuang (Willoughby City Council); Clr Kristina Dodds (Willoughby City Council) and Clr Anna Greco (Willoughby City Council).
The meetings resulted in new relationships and the addition of six new members to the Australian Friends of Artsakh Network (FOA), signifying the growing awareness and support of the Australian public for the ethnically-cleansed Armenians of Artsakh. The new members include: Mayor Zoë Baker, Clr Shannon Welch, Clr Kristina Dodds, Clr Cameron Last, Clr Sarah Royds & Clr Robert Gilitian OAM.
ANC-AU Political Affairs Director, Sebastian Majarian, expressed that he was pleased with the outcome of the meetings, saying: “Local government is the first line of representation for Australia’s multicultural communities, playing a crucial role in responding to issues that impact the moral and well being of communities. It was great to see an overwhelmingly positive response and willingness to advance key Armenian-Australian issues.”
