Returned councillor Dinny Adem has put social housing, water rights and migration at the top of his agenda after being sworn in on Monday.
Cr Adem won a countback from the previous election, and will step into the seat of former councillor Rob Priestly, who stepped down following his Federal Election tilt in May.
It’s the second time the former mayor has entered council on a countback.
Cr Adem said he still had the passion for the role.
“I was marginally disappointed I didn’t get in, but that’s the process,” he said.
"It’s a new group and a diverse group, and that’s something which is really important.“
He said social housing was “really important” and lobbying state and federal governments on water rights was also something for which he wanted council to “advocate heavily”.
"We need to try and find suitable locations within Greater Shepparton and we’ve been identified as lacking in that area two or three years ago and we need to act on it,“ Cr Adem said.
He wouldn’t be drawn on if he would have voted for or against the sale of air space next to ACE Secondary College without being privy to all of council’s reports.
“I think it did bring to the surface that we need to focus on social housing, and we need to find the locations which do suit, but we must end up building something,” he said.
Cr Adem also said the Designated Area Migration Agreement was something he wanted to work to tweak “to make it more amicable to potential participants”.
“It’s there now but I don’t think it’s the right model for us and we have to work hard on that as well,” Cr Adem said.