My name is Kevin Lam and I'm honoured and grateful to be elected as Councillor for the City of Fairfield. The City of Fairfield is one of the most diverse LGA in NSW, comprising an area of 102 km2 and has a population of over 210,000 residents. However, being a child of first-generation Vietnamese immigrants who escaped war-torn Vietnam in the late 1980s, I witnessed the adversity my parents endur
ed throughout my upbringing. My father worked endless hours at a low paying factory job saving every penny to be able to put food on the table, with just enough for my twin brother and I to participate in recreational sport and education. While struggling to grasp the English language and navigate through the Australian culture, my mother ensured that my siblings and I were well supported to thrive in Fairfield City. Despite my parent’s sacrifice and hardships, my parents never forgot to remind us how lucky we are to living in this city. Their teachings fuelled my determination to not just make a living but step it up to make a difference. My parents made Mount Pritchard our home in the early 1990s. I attended Mount Pritchard East Public School and completed my Higher School Certificate at St Johns Park High School in 2010. During university, my early working career involved being a crew member at Lansvale McDonalds, a retail assistant at Horsley Park IGA and a barista but always worked a second job relating to my career. My hobbies and interests include soccer, running, motorcycling, travelling and spending time with family. In 2016, I graduated from University of New South Wales with a Bachelor’s Degree in City Planning. I’ve worked as a Town Planner and Development Manager for local and state government organisations in the past 10 years. Despite working, I’ve never forgotten my roots and knew that my educational background, skills acquired through my work, the diverse conversations with locals and my understanding of the local community needs’ could re-shape and enrich our community. This is why I had my first attempt to become City of Fairfield’s Councillor at the age of 22 in 2016 and again in 2021 where I was successful. Now as a Councillor, I look forward to contributing to the growth and development of our city, rebuilding our city landscapes, championing projects that will support youths, create infrastructure to assist our community and promote the richness of our beautiful city. Importantly, I hope to also inspire others (youth in particular) to make valuable contributions beyond their professional career as a manner of honouring our parents and the generation before us.
