On 11 November 2025, Cr Stuart James was elected as Monash's Mayor for the 2025–2026 term.
Cr Stuart James lives in Oakleigh and is married with three daughters and a son.
He was first elected to Council in 2016, representing Oakleigh Ward, and served as Deputy Mayor in his first year. Stuart served as Mayor in 2019–20 and 2021–22 and was elected Mayor for a third term in November 2025. Following the introduction of single-member wards in 2024, he now represents Warrigal Ward.
Stuart is Vice President of the Australian Local Government Association, Deputy President (Metro) of the Municipal Association of Victoria and Deputy Chair of the Alliance for Gambling Reform.
Stuart is a member of the following committees:
Stuart represents Council on the Junior Advisory Group.
He represents Council on the following external body:
Background
Stuart comes from working-class families on both sides. His maternal grandparents came from railway families, and after serving in Borneo during the Second World War, his grandfather completed a university degree while working, eventually building a successful corporate career.
On his father’s side, Stuart’s grandfather came to Australia alone at the age of 15, endured unemployment during the Great Depression and spent most of his working life with the Melbourne Tramways Board. His grandmother left school at 14 and worked in sandwich shops. Lifelong residents of Preston, they worked hard to give their children opportunities they had never had themselves. Through State and Commonwealth scholarships, Stuart’s father was able to attend university and build a successful career in banking.
That family history has strongly shaped Stuart’s values. He believes in hard work, family and, above all, equality of opportunity. He believes a person’s background should never determine what they can achieve, and that access to education and opportunity are fundamental to sustaining a fair and successful Australia.
Stuart holds a Bachelor of Information Management from Monash University and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He has more than 20 years' experience in information technology and cybersecurity, including senior leadership roles responsible for ICT strategy, cyber security, cloud services, infrastructure and organisational transformation.
Stuart has a long involvement in sporting and community organisations. He has served on the Melbourne Cricket Club Member Disciplinary Committee since 2017, previously served as President of the Eastern Districts Pool League and has been President of the South Eastern Pool League for more than two decades. He is also a co-founder of the Village Green Pool Club in Notting Hill and has served as its President, Vice President and Secretary.
Stuart is also passionate about the arts, particularly theatre. He spent many years operating lighting desks for theatrical productions, studied theatre as part of his university degree and regularly attends local and school productions.
Key achievements and focus
Stuart’s focus on Council has been on delivering practical improvements to the services and infrastructure people use every day, supporting local families and building strong, connected communities.
When Stuart’s youngest daughter was born, his wife was told that mothers’ groups were only available to first-time mothers. Stuart worked with Council officers to develop a new playgroup model at Cabena Crescent in Chadstone. That initiative helped evolve into Monash’s Child and Family Hub model, bringing together kindergarten, playgroups, maternal and child health and other specialist family services in locations across Monash.
Stuart has advocated for better public transport, safer walking and cycling connections and long-term transport planning that keeps pace with population growth. He has consistently advocated for better rail and public transport connections across Melbourne’s east and south-east, previously chairing the Eastern Transport Coalition and serving on the Executive Committee of the Public Transport Users Association.
Preventing gambling harm has been another major focus for Stuart. He has helped drive Monash’s leadership in this area, with Council adopting some of the strongest local government policies in Australia to reduce gambling harm. Stuart also serves as Deputy Chair of the Alliance for Gambling Reform and continues to advocate for stronger regulation of pokies, gambling advertising and the broader gambling industry.
Stuart has strongly supported Council’s work to make Monash more environmentally sustainable. During his first term as Mayor, Council committed to achieving net zero emissions from its operations by 2025, a target that was achieved in 2025. This has included investment in renewable electricity, solar energy, energy-efficient buildings and street lighting, lower-emission vehicles and reducing waste to landfill. Stuart believes Council should continue to lead by example while helping residents and businesses make the transition to a more sustainable and resilient future.
Investing in local neighbourhoods, sporting facilities, playgrounds and community infrastructure has also been a priority throughout Stuart’s time on Council. He has been particularly focused on ensuring Oakleigh and surrounding suburbs receive the infrastructure and public realm improvements they need, while supporting major investment in community and sporting facilities across Monash.
Stuart is a proud local resident and believes Monash is a great place to raise a family. He believes good local government starts with listening, being accessible and making practical decisions that improve people’s everyday lives. He encourages residents to contact him with their ideas, suggestions or concerns.