Councillor Lara Carli has been elected Mayor of the City of Melton, and Councillor Dr Phillip Zada, Deputy Mayor for the 2025/26 term at a Council meeting held on Thursday 6 November 2025.
Cr Carli is serving her fourth term on Council and was previously Mayor in 2022/23 and 2019/20 and Deputy Mayor 2024/25, 2021/22 and 2018/19.
In her acceptance speech Cr Carli said she was truly honoured to be the elected Mayor of the City of Melton for the next 12 months.
Cr Carli also thanked outgoing Mayor Cr Steve Abboushi for his hard work and dedication to the community over the past year.
Quotes attributable to City of Melton Mayor, Cr Lara Carli:
"Thank you to my fellow Councillors for placing their trust in me to serve as their Mayor. It's a privilege to lead such a passionate and hard-working team who are all dedicated to making our City the best it can be."
"I'm committed to fostering a collaborative council, where every voice is heard and where respectful debate leads to thoughtful decisions."
"The City of Melton is one of the fastest growing municipalities in Australia and with that growth comes opportunities and challenges. We will continue advocating for the infrastructure and services our community needs and deserves."
"I look forward to working collaboratively with all levels of Government to achieve the best outcomes for our residents."
"As Mayor, my focus will be on strengthening community connection and ensuring every resident is heard, supported, and valued."
"Our residents are the heart and spirit of our community. Together we will continue to build a place everyone is proud to call home."
