HE might be young, but Brendan Tam is not letting his age get in the way of having a crack at council.
The 21 year-old university student, who will finish his history degree this semester, is standing for a seat on the East Ward of Latrobe City Council.
Mr Tam’s family moved to Traralgon when he was two years old, and all his early memories are of the town he still calls home.
He said he’d like to become a councillor due to the “interesting” and “pivotal” times the Latrobe Valley was experiencing.
“There seems to be a lot of uncertainty, especially regarding the recent Hazelwood news and (the suggestion of) bypassing Traralgon on the highway,” Mr Tam said.
“Measures need to be in place to ensure that support is gained.”
The Young Nationals member is adamant his political affiliation will not influence any decisions he makes if elected as a councillor.
He believes councillors should be hardworking, transparent, accessible and able to provide leadership for the community.
And he thinks he could help bridge the gap between other young people and their disengagement with government.
“I think there is always a need for new perspectives and I would bring that as a young person running,” he said.
As for council itself, Mr Tam said increasing its accountability and the efficiency of its allocation of resources was most important.
He also called for proper council strategies that ensured sustainability and growth.
“There needs to be a clear picture as to where that money is going and how it will help unlock the Valley’s potential,” Mr Tam said.
“(We need to be) drawing on more jobs, investment (and bringing) people into the Valley so we can get new business, new innovation, that would alleviate a lot of the issues with youth disengagement and unemployment.”
Mr Tam said the Valley had a lot of potential to be a vibrant community.
He believes its great people, wonderful environment and convenient location close to Melbourne are its strengths.
