WRITTEN BY LINDA GERONIMO SANTOS
Cr. JAYMES DIAZ Councillor Diaz was elected to Blacktown City Council in 2016 and is a member of the Policy and Strategy, Warwick Lane Development, Budget Estimates and Community Services committees. After completing his undergraduate degree in law, Councillor Diaz completed his Masters in Law at the University of Sydney. He has worked in various law firms in Sydney and continues to practise law by helping to run his family law firm, which has been based in Blacktown for over two decades. Councillor Diaz helps many locals and businesses by advising them on various aspects of the law. Councillor Diaz is committed to bringing a vision that will enhance Blacktown’s development as a city of the future providing better employment opportunities for the people of Blacktown.
Cr. JESS DIAZ Now in his third term at Council, Councillor Diaz is the first Asian to be elected Blacktown City Councillor. Councillor Diaz has served as Foundation President of the Philippine Community Council of New South Wales and is a past President of Filipino Communities Council of Australia. As Area Commander for Australia and Oceania of The Knights of Rizal he earned the rank of Knight Grand Officer of Rizal. A founder of Philippine Sydney Jaycees, he is also an officer of the Riverstone Lions Club. Councillor Diaz was appointed Chairman of the Filipino Language Committee, NSW Board of Studies by the NSW Government’s Department of Education, after successfully lobbying for Filipino to be included for study in the Higher School Certificate curriculum. He also served on the NSW Board of Adult Education and has been a lecturer in different universities and schools in Manila, the USA and Australia. The first Filipino lawyer to be admitted as a Barrister in Australia, Councillor Diaz was Senior Legal Counsel of a foreign bank and has been a legal practitioner in Blacktown for over 25 years.
Cr. FREDERICK BRILLO Councillor Brillo is a professionally trained IT & E engineer. A father of four and local resident, Councillor Brillo embodies the family oriented and entrepreneurial spirit of our community.
Cr. CAROL ISRAEL Councillor Carol Israel is a trade union organiser representing the retail workers and an active community leader organising festivals such as the Woodcroft Lake Festival. She volunteers in the yearly Clean Up Australia Day and fundraises to her chosen charity, the Leukaemia Foundation. Having graduated Bachelor of Arts Degree majoring in Political science and a decade of experience in fighting for the rights and dignity of workers, she has became a strong advocate of the rights of individuals. She is the chairperson of the Access Advisory Committee and a member of the Women’s Advisory and Sister Cities Advisory Committee. She is very passionate about representing the best interest of the community and she advocates equality and fairness for all. Her aspiration is to serve the residents of Blacktown City to the best of her ability and to promote good governance in the council.
Cr. LINDA GERONIMO SANTOS Councillor Santos is a litigation and conveyancing solicitor and also an educator. She holds several degrees including Master of Arts in Literature, Master of Educational Administration and Bachelor of Laws. As a practising lawyer for over 25 years, Councillor Santos understands the challenges facing women and young people today. Councillor Santos is passionate with the plight of the youth and a strong advocate of early intervention in youth’s social and mental issues and depression. She strongly supports community activities/projects. She hopes to contribute more actively in issues of domestic violence especially in the home. Cr. Santos writes a regular in a Philippine community newspaper, using her column as legal forum for practical advices. She is the legal adviser of Knights of Rizal Inc. (KRI) in Sydney and that of SAFSI, an association of senior Australian Filipino citizens. She is a member of Board of Directors of JUNAYA Family Developments Inc and of Community Resource Network. She is the Chair of Australian-Filipino Women’s Support Group (AFWSG). All of these organisations advocate support and empowerment of women, the youth, and the disadvantaged.