Youth Advisory Council for a Safer Australia

Hadeel is a civil engineering (Honours) student in her third year, based in Sydney. Originally from Lebanon, she brings a deep appreciation for cultural diversity and resilience to her work.

Passionate about creating a safer and more inclusive Australia, Hadeel joined the Youth Advisory Council for a Safer Australia to ensure young voices are meaningfully included in shaping public policy, particularly in preventing violent extremism.

As a committed volunteer, she is actively engaged in grassroots efforts to support and uplift her community. Through her role on the council, Hadeel hopes to contribute to the development of youth informed policies that reflect the needs and aspirations of young Australians, helping to create lasting, positive change.

Hayden is a proud youth worker striving in his passion to make change in young men’s lives with the Top Blokes Foundation. Football and family are the two things he dearly loves in life.

Hayden has joined the council, to continue to foster and create safer environments for young people, particularly young men who he feels the voices of are sometimes too often overlooked.

Driven by a personal commitment to becoming the role model he once sought, Hayden approaches his work with authenticity, emotional intelligence, and a charismatic leadership style that resonates strongly with the youth he supports.

He brings a grounded understanding of the challenges faced by young Australians today and is motivated by a vision of safer communities built on trust, equity, and active participation.

Huzayfa is an apprentice electrician, TAFE student and dedicated youth volunteer in Bankstown.

His journey into community service began through the Wise Up program at Punchbowl Boys High School, where he was inspired by the organisation’s inclusive values and commitment to social justice.

As a young Australian Muslim from a multicultural background, Huzayfa brings lived experience, a grounded perspective and a passion for supporting youth facing life’s challenges. His volunteer work includes food drives, youth workshops and multicultural events that promote unity, resilience and belonging.

Huzayfa is committed to amplifying the voices of working-class and trades focused youth groups often underrepresented in national conversations.

As a member of the Youth Advisory Council, he hopes to create safer, more inclusive spaces for all young Australians, challenge harmful stereotypes and contribute to a stronger, fairer and more connected community.

Jo is a proud Aboriginal Transwoman from southeastern Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory.

They are currently a student at Macquarie University in Sydney, pursuing a major in Indigenous Studies and a minor in Gender Studies.

Jo’s academic pursuits are driven by a desire to gain deeper insights into gender studies, which they believe will be invaluable in their journey to becoming an advocate for Indigenous queer individuals.

Jo has two hobbies, they love playing basketball and doing shopping is what they love the most. They have a passion for fashion which serves as a powerful means of self-expression and confidence-building, particularly as a plus-size Aboriginal transwoman. Inspired by films such as "Cruella," they embrace fashion as a tool of empowerment.

Jo’s motivation for joining this council stems from a commitment to fostering positive change in remote Indigenous communities, where acceptance of the queer community is often left out in community discussions. Therefore, they aspire to contribute to this goal by joining the council, where they can collaborate with dedicated individuals and leverage collective expertise to drive meaningful change.

Their aim is to ensure that the experiences and needs of Indigenous queer individuals are not only brought to the forefront today but are also sustained as a focal point for future policy and advocacy efforts.

Liam is a Year 11 student in Perth, Western Australia, and is passionate about his community, and empowering the youth voice in government decision-making.

He is currently a member of his school’s Student Representative Council, where he advocates for his peers, which ensures that their concerns are heard, and also helps organise school events.

Liam joined the Youth Advisory Council for a Safer Australia to give back to his community and to encourage other young people to stand up for their concerns.

He believes that having the youth voice in decisions are crucial in protecting democracy, and hopes that the council has a profound impact in including the voice of young people in decision-making, contributing to a safer Australia.

Lincoln lives and works in Melbourne and remains deeply connected to their Gippsland roots.

They have a background in international relations and a strong commitment to youth advocacy, both in Australia and globally. They have worked in regional, Pacific, and marginalised communities, driven by a belief in the power of young people to shape stronger, safer societies.

With experience in policy, community engagement, and national youth leadership on climate change, Lincoln is passionate about giving voice to those often left out – including regional and remote, LGBTQIA+, and vulnerable young people.

They joined the Youth Advisory Council for a Safer Australia to ensure youth are part of real, meaningful conversations defining safety, and preventing harm.

They hope the council will generate real opportunities for young Australians to influence policy, challenge harmful narratives, and strengthen the social fabric of our nation.

Lou, from South Australia, is a strong proponent for equity, co-design, and the power of passionate young people to push the world into a better position.

She enjoys playing Dungeons & Dragons, reading, and practicing martial arts.

Lou joined the Youth Advisory Council for a Safer Australia to represent young people from South Australia and transgender youth communities.

Lou cares deeply about the ways that government policies impact young people, and wants all young people to understand ways to make change happen.

She hopes that the council will support targeted and effective strategies to prevent violence and extremism.

Lucy is a Year 11 student from Tasmania, who is deeply passionate about amplifying the voices of youth.

She is excited to be part of this Youth Advisory Council to work with likeminded people in an effort to have youth experiences considered while making policies regarding the growing trend of violent extremism in Australia.

An avid traveller, Lucy is lucky to have experienced many cultures, environments and places around the world, and has seen the impact that violent extremism can have on people and communities.

She hopes to use her lived experience as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community to meaningfully contribute towards building a safer Australia for now and for future generations.

When Lucy is not advocating, she can be found working at theatres, collecting pins and seeking out yummy drinks.

Maisara is a young Western Australian and a passionate law student, a paralegal, and the youngest board member for multiple not-for-profit organisations.

She also serves on the Western Australia’s Ministerial Multicultural Advisory Council, where she advocates for inclusive policy and multicultural representation.

Maisara is the founder of YouthsOnly, an organisation dedicated to empowering young people, and the host of The Iconic Confessions Show. She was the 28th Youth Leader of the Opposition WA and has held multiple leadership roles where she advocated for youths and CALD communities.

Recognised for her contributions, she was named the 2024 WA Youth Citizen of the Year, Multicultural Youth of the Year, and Burt Young Volunteer of the Year.

Maisara joined this council due to her deep interest in social cohesion and anti-discrimination. Maisara is committed to building a safer, more inclusive Australia through youth-led change, inclusion by preventing violence or discrimination.

Natalie is a youth advocate and first year Arts student from Victoria with a passion for community programs and youth-led education. In her free time, she enjoys writing poetry and short stories.

Natalie joined the Youth Advisory Council for a Safer Australia to advocate for an approach to young people that involves their participation and perspectives at every stage, pulling from her past work as a co-educator.

Natalie also advocates on issues such as youth mental health, criminal justice, and housing, pulling both her lived experience and knowledge as an educator into work that centres young people in their own wellbeing, with her frequent work with youth organisations in the media and while consulting on youth affairs.

She is ready for the council to be a space in which preventative and rehabilitative approaches to issues become the default, and young people are trusted to collaborate on the futures they’ll live in.

Noah is a proud descendent of the Gomeroi/Gamilarray people of north west New South Wales. Growing up on Wangal and Garigal land with a strong connection to country and community. He now lives on Ngunnawal and Nambri country.

Noah has previously worked with all levels of government advising and advocating on the rights of Indigenous people and young people, mainly working with this intersectionality.

Having previously been the Y NSW Youth Premier in 2023 And sitting on the First Nations and First Nations Education Youth Advisory Group, he takes this knowledge to create more opportunities for young mob. This includes working with the New South Wales Department of Education to create an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student advisory group to the Arts Unit.

He is currently undertaking a Bachelor of Arts and Science majoring in Environmental Science and Indigenous Studies. He is also a cultural educator, bush food enthusiast, woodworker and artist.

Noah is a high school student currently undertaking a Certificate III in Health Assistance Services at TAFE which serves as a pathway for his goal of becoming a psychiatrist.

Based in Brisbane, Queensland Noah is incredibly passionate and determined about creating a safer future for all of Australia. He hopes that through his lived experiences he can bring a unique perspective to the Youth Advisory Council.

In his spare time Noah loves to rock climb, draw and play guitar. He is also a member of the Bravehearts Youth Advisory Council and the Australian Youth Climate Coalition.

Noah is extremely proud to have this opportunity and is dedicated to help create meaningful positive change within our communities.

Salim is a young and keen student from Condell Park hooked on the big idea of changing the world.

He is a proud member of the Top Blokes Foundation Youth Ambassador Council, doing his part by contributing his best to the foundation, and making big impacts in little communities.

In Salim’s personal time, he’s typically taking an internal peek at his soul trying his best to navigate the enduring search for meaning.

Salim knows for sure that doing one's best precedes the ability to change the world. By joining the council he’s taken on the challenge of being vulnerable around new people, opening the uncomfortable conversations, and establishing the grounds to achieve his childhood dream and change the world one way or another.

Sebastian is a young Queenslander based in Brisbane. He studies Public Health at the University of Queensland and is passionate about including autistic and young people in government decision making.

He believes that when government and young people work together real progress can be made.

Sebastian participated in the development and implementation of Engage! as a founding member of the Youth Steering Committee and is delighted to participate in the implementation of Engage!.

He also sat on the Oversight Council of the National Autism Strategy and helped design it.

Sebastian works with government for NDIS reform as part of the NDIS Reform Advisory Committee and NDIA Children’s Expert Advisory Group.

In his spare time Sebastian works represents Australia and Queensland in Bridge, which he is a National Master. Sebastian is deeply passionate about politics, and his inner geek loves Star Wars.

With a proven record in youth advocacy across several local governments in Melbourne, Tiernan is passionate about the ways public policy can deliver tangible solutions to challenges confronted by young people, especially crime, mental health, radicalisation, and isolation.

After representing his local council at the 2025 Victorian Youth Parliament, Tiernan joined the Youth Advisory Council for a Safer Australia to represent young Victorians at the federal level, where their voices are rarely sought in formal legislative and policy discourse.

As an International Relations graduate, he also brings a literate perspective on how both domestic and foreign affairs affect young people.

Tiernan’s previous work in refugee integration at the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, alongside his internship at the Australian Multicultural Foundation, deepened his interest in promoting multiculturalism.

During his term, he aims to amplify the voices of young people in the formation and delivery of programs that contribute to making Australia a safer place.

In his free time, Tiernan enjoys swimming, running, and catching up with friends.