VLGA Connect, Victorian Local Governance Association

Tina Samardzija is the Mayor of the City of Monash in Victoria, and an alum of the University of Melbourne’s Pathways to Politics Program for Women.

Tina was elected as a councillor in 2020 and became Deputy Mayor before being elected as Mayor. Tina’s main motivation for joining local government was to have a say in the local facilities and services that young families rely on. She is particularly interested in improving maternal health services and providing more information and support for mothers. Tina’s background is in law and economics, and she previously worked in state and federal government.

She sees the role of local government as being more directly connected to the community than state and federal government. The City of Monash is a populous and diverse area, with a growing population and a focus on sustainable growth and transport infrastructure.