Fresh takes on improving our democracy: a free online event for young people in the Lane Cove area and on the lower north shore

It’s true: at all levels of government in Australia we have a diversity problem.

Most candidates and politicians don’t accurately represent our society’s breadth - they tend to be older, whiter and wealthier than your average Australian. And there are consequences - candidates and politicians are often out of touch with our needs and concerns and don’t advocate for young people’s needs.

But it’s not all doom and gloom! There are two elections coming up - NSW local government elections on Saturday 4 December and a Federal election sometime early next year AND young people are stepping up to change things.

Join this event to hear from a number of young people who are working on a local and federal level to advocate for the interests of young people on the lower north shore - and across Australia - to change things for the better!

Hear about why you should pay attention to local council elections (...not just because it’s compulsory to vote!)
Discover what Lane Cove’s young people told us they want to see locally
Learn about the movement for community-focused independents at all levels of government and how they could shift the needle on climate action and integrity in politics
Find out how you can get involved

And we want to hear from YOU. This is an opportunity for you to share what your vision is for your local community and ask questions.

This event is facilitated by Run For It Australia and Bridget Kennedy's Independent Team for Lane Cove Council.

SPEAKERS

// Aneka Henshaw (she/her) - Kylea Tink Next Generation //

Aneka Henshaw is a 19 year old Hunters Hill resident and a Team Captain for Kylea Tink Next Generation. Aneka leads this grassroots group of young volunteers as they work to mobilise young people on the lower north shore to engage with politics and understand the role of community-focused independents - like Kylea Tink - in the lead up to the next Federal Election. When she isn’t campaigning Aneka is a first year uni student studying engineering at ANU in Canberra.
www.kyleatink.com.au/kt_next_generation

// Madeleine Hinchy (she/her) //
Community-focused independent candidate - Lane Cove Council (Central Ward)

Madeleine Hinchy is a candidate for Lane Cove Council (Central Ward) at the NSW local government elections. She is in her early 30s and was motivated to run for council to ensure climate action and integrity is embedded in all aspects of council operations. Madeleine brings a strong understanding of local government to the team. She is currently a digital marketer and communications specialist for a major Sydney metropolitan council.

In 2020 and 2021, Madeleine was given the opportunity to work for the NSW Government where she saw firsthand the devastating impact of our climate crisis. She worked with bushfire and flood impacted councils across the state supporting them with disaster recovery. This exposure to a number of communities and councils strengthened her belief in the unique role of a well-run council to a community’s wellbeing.

She is passionate about advocating for young people, renters, strata residents, newcomers to Lane Cove and those from diverse backgrounds. She wants to ensure diverse perspectives are represented in council chambers.

She is running as the second candidate on the group ticket of community-focused independent, Bridget Kennedy. The Lane Cove Council election is Saturday 4 December (remember: voting is compulsory!)

www.bk4lc.com

About Run For It
Run for It is a growing movement of young people determined to fix our democracy - one election at a time. They believe that in order to see young people represented in politics and create major change in Australia, we need to see young people more informed, engaged, and involved in all types of decision making. They build young leaders who will be ready to take on the established political class by demanding economic, social and climate justice for all.
www.runforit.org