The youngest councillor in Logan City’s history and in Queensland is celebrating his 21st birthday today (December 13), and he has a special birthday message for the region’s youth.
“Turning 21 is quite the milestone and I’m looking forward to spending some time with my family,” Cr Jacob Heremaia said.
“I feel very honoured and privileged to be exactly where I wanted to be at 21….I love my job and I love being able to serve the Logan community.
“It was a big decision to decide to run for councillor at age 19 but I’m so glad I made it.
“I’ve learnt so much and am really excited to see what the future holds….I definitely plan to re-run in 2024.”
Cr Heremaia said he grew up in a community and family focused home, and that his parents are his mentors.
“My family is amazing,” he said.
“I believe they’re the reason I care so much about the community and are partly why I decided to look into this line of work.
“Looking forward, I really want to focus on infrastructure in my division (Division 8). It’s the best part of Logan City in my opinion and there is so much potential.
“It’s because of the people in my division that I’m able to do what I do. It’s really all about teamwork and the community.”
Cr Heremaia said he believes he is able to bring something extra to council with his younger age.
“Having diversity in age is important because there is a youth population in Logan and they deserve to be represented too,” he said.
“I’m hoping to bring a fresh perspective and to prove to the youth of Logan that if you chase your dreams and feel empowered you can achieve your goals.
“I just want young people to put their hand up and give it a go….and if you’re interested in Government or Politics please reach out and I may be able to offer some mentorship.”
When asked about his life outside of work, Cr Heremaia said he was quite boring for a 21 year old.
“I mean a lot of my life is intertwined with council,” he said.
“I like to spend time with my family, go for morning runs, and take my beagle Lucy for walks to explore Logan.
“In fact one of my goals is to take Lucy for most exciting walks and explore a bit more of Logan. There are so many great walking trails and I think she’d really enjoy getting out a bit more.”
