2026 Youth Council to provide voice for young people

Published on 05 February 2026

Mildura Rural City Council welcomed its 2026 Youth Council last night, following a special swearing-in ceremony at Council’s Deakin Avenue offices.

Nine young people were selected to represent the region’s youth following an expression of interest process.

Following the swearing ceremony, Youth Councillors then elected a Youth Mayor and Youth Deputy Mayor, with Leanne Affleck and Ollie Edens elected respectively.

The Youth Council acts as an advisory and advocacy committee, working on behalf of young people throughout our municipality to:

• Provide opportunities for young people to have their say and influence Council policies, plans and strategies
• Promote young people as valuable citizens who make a positive contribution to the community
• Provide opportunities for young people to develop leadership skills
• Provide the opportunity for Councillors to meet, hear and learn from young people
• Provide opportunities for young people to consult with the wider community

Councillor for Community Health and Wellbeing Troy Bailey congratulated this year’s Youth Councillors.

“Our Youth Councillors play a pivotal role guiding and informing Council’s direction in terms of planning and services we’re able to provide young people,” Cr Bailey said.

“A shining example of this is the current five-year Youth Engagement Strategy focusing on having a Voice, access to Opportunities, being Connected, Safe and Healthy, which continues to be rolled out this year.

“It’s also great seeing the new skills and professional development each of our Youth Councillors pick up during their terms on Council, which will benefit them for decades to come.

“Our region’s young people give us a lot to be proud of, and our Youth Councillors are a great example of this.”

Meet your 2026 Youth Council

Ollie Edens
Ollie is a 17-year-old Mildura Senior College student with a passion for creativity and advocacy.
Ollie first joined the Youth Council in 2025 to further advocate for a youth voice, ensuring that future generations of our community are supported to effectively share their concerns and opinions.  This need for a youth voice was first experienced when Ollie took part in Council’s first Youth Radio Program in 2024.
Ollie hopes his time on Youth Council will lead to meaningful change for young people in our community. Ollie aims to study Law in Melbourne once he completes his Year 12 studies.

Leanne Affleck
Leanne is a Year 12, Deputy School Captain at Mildura Senior College with a strong interest in mental health and community leadership.
She joined Youth Council to better understand the perspectives of young people in the town she has grown up in, ensuring those opinions or concerns are properly advocated for.
Leanne hopes to significantly contribute to meaningful changes within the broader community, while developing her decision-making and leadership skills. 
After completing Year 12 she hopes to attend university for nursing.
Outside of school, part-time work and her Youth Council duties, she enjoys reading as well as taking photos with her friends.

Marcus Galvez
Marcus is a Year 11 student at Mildura Senior College, who is joining Youth Council for the first time.
Marcus is excited to take on the role and represent the voices of young people in the community. 
He joined Youth Council to gain new perspectives on the experiences and challenges faced by young people to create meaningful change. 
Outside of Youth Council, Marcus enjoys playing badminton and volleyball, while also having a strong passion for science and mathematics.
In the future, he hopes to pursue a career in engineering.
Born in the Philippines, Marcus moved to Australia with his family in mid-2023. He was elected College Captain at Chaffey Secondary College in 2024, with the role providing insight into community need beyond the school environment.

Kaitia Phillis-Thornton
Katia joins the Youth Council with a goal to be a role model in the community, demonstrating to young people how they can make a difference despite physical, cultural or mental differences.
A current Guide Leader at 2nd Mildura South Girl Guides, and a Rover Scout with the Mallee Rover Crew, Katia wants to further enhance her leadership abilities during her time on Youth Council, while gaining insight into how decisions are made in our community.
Currently living with an invisible disability herself, Katia aspires to show other young people that anything is possible, while being an advocate for those in our community facing similar situations.

Nikita Keating
Nikita is an Irymple Secondary College student who joins Youth Council to step out of her comfort zone, while helping to make a difference in the community.
Through her involvement with the Youth Council, Nikita hopes to contribute strong ideas, make a good impact and gain valuable leadership skills.
In the future she aims to use her voice to help others, while outside of school Nikita enjoys working in teams, while being excited to contribute and create positive change.

Dilpreet Kaur
Dilpreet is a 16-year-old St Joseph's Secondary College student who joins Youth Council with a desire to get involved in representing young people, while helping to create positive change in the community.
Through the Youth Council, Dilpreet is hoping to build leadership skills, boost communication abilities, and get a better understanding of how local decisions are made.
Working with other motivated young people to turn ideas into action is also a goal.

Zahra Hussaini
Zahra is a secondary school student at Mildura Senior College with a passion for ensuring young people’s voices are heard, especially those from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds.
Zahra believes young people should have a genuine role in shaping decisions that affect their lives and the community, while also being passionate about youth issues, inclusion and supporting others. 
Zahra plans to bring perspectives and ideas to the role over the coming 12 months.

Marth Ebora
Marth is an 18-year-old with a passion for supporting young people, especially those from vulnerable communities.
He is dedicated to making a positive impact through advocacy and active participation.
Marth says the Youth Council is an opportunity to contribute to policies that directly affect youth, while helping young people in our community be heard and make a meaningful difference.
Through everyday interactions, Marth tries to support and uplift young people – something he wants to continue during his time on Youth Council.

Riley Ridgwell
Riley is a Year 10 student at Irymple Secondary College with a passion for acting, playing the guitar and hanging out with friends.
Riley wants to spend his time on Youth Council engaging and connecting with the community, while helping to make our region a better place, and taking every opportunity to make positive changes for the community.

ENDS