By Ethan Benedicto
Acting on his innate need to help others and serve the community has been as easy of a decision as wiping sweat off his brow, considering the work that has been done that led to that cherry on top as the City of Casey’s newest mayor.
Stefan Koomen, Waratah Ward councillor and the city’s mayor, was unanimously voted into the position on Tuesday 19 November, making him the first mayor in over four years.
What is – as is the council as a whole – a rather tumultuous position after the dismissal of the former council back in 2020 following an IBAC investigation into corruption, the newest clique in Bunjil Place has been off to a fresh and steady start.
With Stefan’s hands on the helm, even he still sometimes found it hard to believe that he was elected as the mayor, saying that he is still “the same person as last month”.
“Nothing’s really changed, it’s just that now I have an opportunity to have more say, and hopefully create change.
“For me, nothing’s changed, but, in a way a lot’s changed,” he said.
The shock was the biggest thing for Stefan despite it being nearly a month since his election; of course, there is the excitement, of the opportunities that have vested into him to be the voice of the people of Casey.
“For me, being elected as mayor is almost a reflection of the community support that we had around that campaign,” he said.
“It was a unifying campaign that brought a lot of people together.”
The Doveton Pool campaign, one of the more significant and solidifying events of 2024 for Stefan, was all about making residents and locals heard, ensuring that, from their perspective, their problems are not ignored and are very much tangible.
“The older people in the community grew up with the pool, and young families wanted a place for their kids to play in summer,” Koomen explained.
“I was excited about it and really proud of what our community achieved and I think maybe I’m a reflection of that pride in Doveton and Casey’s suburbs.”
Reflecting on his upbringing, Stefan attributes much of his drive for community work to his parents, where giving back and serving the people, even through little things, was second nature.
“Growing up, my mum and dad were active volunteers in the community where we lived, dad would mow the church lawns and mum would help run bingo,” he said.
“Dad was also a soccer coach, so there was always activity – so I think my parents impressed on me the importance of looking out for others and giving back.
“I’ve carried that, I really have and maybe taken it to another level.”
That sense of service led Koomen down many paths, such as his position as the Chair of the Doveton Eumemmering Township Association (DETA), being the Treasurer of the Doveton Show Committee, volunteering as Justice of the Peace in Doveton Library and his work through the Parliament of Victoria as a Senior Electorate Officer.
“I think this role as mayor is, I guess, just another way to help serve the community, maybe at a bigger or broader scale,” he said.
“I’m a big believer that being around other people makes life better, so being part of something has always been at the forefront of my mind.
“I’ve never really played individual sports, I’ve always been in team sports, and I’ve always liked to be part of community groups and have a collective cause, and I think that has always driven me in things that I do.”
However, it wasn’t until the Doveton Pool campaign gained traction in 2022 that he realised the potential for larger-scale impact.
“The campaign gave me the confidence to run for council,” he said.
“I saw what could be achieved when the community rallies together, and I wanted to do more.”
Now at the head of Casey’s council, Koomen’s focus remains on keeping politics grounded and ensuring that every decision is made with the residents’ best interests in mind.
He, alongside the new community leaders, remains rooted in their focus on trust and action, determined to wash away the sins of the past through their own form of service to the people.
“I think it’s important that we focus, on every decision on its own merits,” Koomen said.
“We obviously all have our own values, which is important, but we need to approach every decision just with that focus of what’s the best outcome for residents and the community.
“I haven’t seen politics or party politics into that as an issue, and I don’t foresee that being one; I think the local government’s a little bit unique around that, that we don’t have a lot of involvement with these parties.”
While Koomen said he is transparent on where his political values lie with the Labor party, and that it’s “important we don’t stray from our values”, he is able to discern what is needed by the people from the complexities of party decisions.
With everyone’s feet fresh into 2025, Koomen wants to place an emphasis on community, to take the way how he has been shaped in his time in Doveton, and apply that sense of connection with the people throughout Casey.
“I think connection is a big part of building strong communities, so for me, that could be in the form of events or opportunities to meet with councillors, and really bringing council back to the people,” he said.
“We’re thankful that we’re in our position and we wanna do that work, but then it’s also about rapport with the people, and our job as councillors is just making those connection points.”
Despite his achievements, Koomen had never aimed to be mayor, with his position being one of the “biggest adjusting elements” for him, ensuring that no matter the role, he remained true to himself.
Looking ahead, he remains optimistic about the future, acknowledging that the role, and council as a whole will truly serve its purpose in the midst of the community.
“We have an incredible community here in Casey, and I’m excited about what we can achieve together,” he said.
“It’s not just about what we as councillors can do, but how we can support residents to make Casey an even better place to live.”
