Big learning curve for Logan young gun, state’s youngest councillor
Logan’s next council, headed by whistleblower Darren Power, will be making history when it is sworn in tomorrow with the state’s youngest councillor taking up a seat.
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LOGAN’s newest council, headed by whistleblower Darren Power, will be making history when it is sworn in tomorrow.
Not only is it one of two councils in the state to be elected after all 12 councillors were sacked leaving all seats vacant, but it will also have the state’s youngest councillor on its team. It will also be dominated by women with seven of the 12 seats won by women.
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Logan mayor-elect Darren Power said he was looking forward to starting work after a three-week wait for results.
Rochedale South young gun Jacob Heremaia is 20 years old, the youngest councillor to be elected in Logan’s history.
Mr Heremaia said age was not an issue but admitted being a councillor would be a steep learning curve.
He will replace the division’s oldest councillor Cherie Dalley, who was 74 when she held the position and was also the acting mayor after Luke Smith was sacked in May last year.
Mr Heremaia, who grew up in Logan and went to school in Rochedale, said he was used to hard work, cutting his teeth in the IT world as a project manager for Brisbane-based company Dialog.
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His first job was washing dishes at a local fish and chip shop before starting a full-time job after leaving high school.
He will take up duties as the Division 8 councillor representing the 15,781 voters in Browns Plains, Park Ridge, Heritage Park and Regents Park, where he recently moved into a rental after leaving his parent’s home at Rochedale South.
He ran in the March 28 election as an independent and said he did not have any political party affiliations and did not take any campaign donations.
“I was horrified when our council was sacked,” he said.
“Then and there, I decided that I was going to do something about it.
“Logan needs a fresh start with no more corruption.”
The new council will have an average age of 43 years, well down on the previous council which had an average age of 52.5 years.
It will be more in line with the city’s median age of 34 years, making it one of the state’s youngest councils.
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