General News
8 September, 2025
Vote for young leaders
SIXTEEN young leaders from across Cairns have taken to the stage to woo voters at a meet the candidates forum, sharing their vision for the city and raising the issues that matter most to their generation.
The candidates, aged between 13 and 17, are campaigning for a seat on the Cairns Youth Council – a democratically-elected body that gives young people aged 11–17 a voice in the planning and decision-making that impacts their lives.
At the forum, candidates spoke passionately about the need for:
Improved mental health and wellbeing support
Protection of the environment
Youth-friendly spaces and activities
Low and no-cost events for young people
More opportunities to shape their community’s future.
The event gave the young candidates the chance to connect directly with their peers, councillors and community leaders. Each candidate addressed key questions around challenges facing young people, their ideas for solutions and how they would ensure the youth council represents all voices across Cairns.
The candidates are: Anja Dimitrijevic, Arnica Ellmer, Ari Kohn, Aryan Jain, Bethany Morris, Chad Rutten, Claudi Kurowski, Dean Coombs, Ethan Antoniou, Hamish Mead, Nishchal Sharma, Noah Solomon, Parker Scott, Poppy Pacey, Samuel Chesters and Tara Tamang.
Mayor Amy Eden said the candidates demonstrated maturity, courage and a strong sense of responsibility for shaping their community.
“It’s inspiring to see such thoughtful and passionate young community leaders stepping forward. The youth council gives young people a direct say in how Cairns grows and changes and I encourage every eligible young person to vote in the upcoming election,” she said.
Voting for the Cairns Youth Council will take place Monday to Friday, September 8-12 at schools and youth-friendly spaces across the region.
All young people aged 11 to 17 living in the Cairns Regional Council area are eligible to vote.
The youth council will be made up of 12 elected members, who will nominate a young mayor and deputies, set their own agenda and deliver priority projects during their 18-month term. The youth council will also have access to a $10,000 project fund, supported by the Foundation for Young Australians (FYA) to deliver their priority agenda.
For more visit https://bit.ly/4lWWun4
