Hume has elected its inaugural youth council.
Twelve young people have been elected by their peers, with 3300 youth aged 11 to 17 casting their votes at the 19 polling locations across the municipality in October.
Candidates have spent the past few months campaigning in schools, developing their priorities and advocating for their communities, with 26 hopefuls seeking a spot on council.
The successful candidates include Pranav Bhandari, Anushka Sharma, Nawar Saadi, Elif Altun, Aiden Saji, Nethuki Prematilaka, Rushil Raina, Bianca Barbaro, Maha Sajid, Ammar Mahmoud, Ella Campbell and Lauren de Veth from three wards.
Hume mayor Jarrod Bell welcomed the new young leaders.
“It’s inspiring to witness such a diverse group of young leaders ready to make a difference,” he said.
The youth council will be sworn into their first term in December, and will serve a 12-month term in office in 2026.
They will have a $10,000 budget to deliver their priority agenda, working together to define priority areas. They will also work with council to implement projects and events that meet the needs and interests of local young people.
Issues the successful candidates said they were interested in include mental health support, sustainability, diversity, women’s safety, increasing youth spaces around the municipality and youth safety, especially on public transport.
