Young Mayors Mackay
A democratically elected council of young people aged 11–17 in the Mackay region, run in partnership with Mackay Regional Council.
Currently in term · Campaigning for 2027–2028 Youth Council
Campaigning for the 2027–2028 Mackay Youth Council is now underway.
Have your say in who represents young people in Mackay.
Nominations closed 20 July 2026. Campaigning runs September–October. Elections are held in October 2026.
Campaign time!
Nominations have closed and candidates have been selected, now it’s time for candidates to campaign for election by their community!
Candidates will get access to workshops, resources, and a campaign budget to build and run a campaign around the issues they care about. The Young Mayors team and Mackay Regional Council team will help candidates to campaign in a way that suits and supports them the whole time. Candidates campaign on issues and not against each other.
Keep an eye out for posters around Mackay community spaces and in your schools — check to see if there are candidates campaigning for issues important to you!
The community of young people aged 11-17 in Mackay will have the opportunity to vote using existing electoral processes to choose their Youth Council. Being elected means the newly formed Youth Council has a genuine mandate to represent the views, experiences and aspirations of people who chose them.
Meet The Candidates
Meet the young people from across Mackay who are running for the 2027 – 2028 Mackay Youth Council.
Meet the 2025–2026 Mackay Youth Council
Elected in August 2024, Mackay’s 2025-26 Youth Council represented young people across the region. They’ve just finished their term, delivering projects and campaigns based on a priority agenda they developed together with their community.
If you have an issue you’d like the next Youth Council to consider, get in touch with the Mackay team at [email protected]
What the Youth Council worked on
At the start of their term, the Youth Council worked with young people in Mackay to identify the issues that matter most. That became their Priority Agenda.
Follow along on:
Some key initiatives from their Term in Office included: two QLD Youth Week events, Walk and Talk at the Botanic Gardens, stalls at multiple community events, presenting at LGAQ’s Domestic and Family Violence forum and more.
Nominations have now closed. Candidates have been selected to move to the campaigning phase.
The information below is for reference only.
Is the Youth Council for you?
You don’t need experience, connections, or a perfect speech. You just need to care about where you live.
You're the one who kicks off the team chat.
Organising, problem-solving, getting everyone on the same page. The Youth Council is for you.
You care about your community.
You’re curious about what’s working, what could be better, and what the different experiences of young people in Mackay actually look like. The Youth Council is for you.
You ask questions.
Who made that decision? Who was involved? Could it have been done differently? The Youth Council is for you.
You want to grow.
You want to challenge yourself and develop new skills in a supportive environment where trying something new is genuinely celebrated. The Youth Council is for you.
We particularly encourage young people with a diversity of lived experience in Mackay to nominate, including First Nations people, LGBTQIA+ people, disabled people and people with disability, women and non-binary people, young people from low-income households, people from diverse cultural backgrounds and people of colour.
What you need to know before you nominate
- 11–17 Age to participate
- Free: No cost to get involved
- $1,500: Stipend across your full 18-month term
Who can nominate
Nominations are open to young people aged 11–17 living or studying in the Mackay Regional Council area. If you’ll turn 18 between January 2027 and June 2028 and plan to stay in the region, whether for school, work, study or other reasons, we still want to hear from you. We consider these applications individually.
You don’t need to be an Australian citizen to nominate
A few more things worth knowing:
- Meetings are weekly at the Jubilee Centre, 1.5 hours after school. Zoom is always an option
- There’s a $250 payment for attending induction before your term begins
- Food is provided at every meeting
- Scared of public speaking? That’s okay, we’ll help you prepare and practise in a safe and supportive environment
Key dates
| Nominations open | 1 June – 20 July 2026 |
| Campaigning period | 17 August – 19 October 2026 |
| Meet the Candidates event | Thursday 8 October 2026 |
| Election week | 19–23 October 2026 |
| Inductions | November 2026 |
| Term begins | 1 February 2027 |
| Term ends | 30 June 2028 |
How it works
1. Chat to the team
Come to an information session or have a one-on-one chat with the Mackay team. Ask questions, find out more, and get support with your nomination.
2. Complete your nomination by 20 July
Tell us a little about yourself, the issues you care about in Mackay, and why you’re nominating. You can respond in writing, video, audio, or any creative format you like.
3. Nominations are reviewed
A panel of young people reviews all nominations. To make sure every candidate gets proper support to campaign, places are limited, so not everyone who nominates will be selected as a candidate. If you’re not selected, we’ll do our best to give you feedback to help you next time.
4. Campaigning | 17 August – 19 October
If selected, you’ll get workshops, resources, and a campaign budget to build and run a campaign around the issues you care about. We’ll help you campaign in a way that suits you and support you the whole time. Candidates campaign on issues and not against each other.
5. Meet the Candidates event | Thursday 8 October
A relaxed, fun forum where candidates talk to young people, community members and councillors about what matters to them.
6. Election week | 19–23 October
Voting booths go up across high schools and community spaces in Mackay. Every young person aged 11–17 can vote for the people they want on the council representing them.
7. Inductions | November
The elected council gets to know each other, learns their roles,and begins creating a shared vision for young people in Mackay. A swearing ceremony is held soon after when the youth council officially take up office.
8. Term in office | 1 February 2027 – 30 June 2028
Eighteen months to deliver real projects, run campaigns, consult with young people across the region, and make decisions that matter with a $10,000 budget, a mandate, and support from council staff and FYA.
Not elected? Your journey doesn’t have to end there. We’re here to support you to keep making a difference in your community.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Young Mayors Mackay start?
Mackay Regional Council firmly believes their young people are the future leaders of the region. Through 1,000 conversations with local young people, the council heard clearly that young people want to have a voice, and to influence decisions that impact how they live in the region.
With these insights, Mackay Regional Council was the first council in Australia to put their hand up to partner with FYA to pilot Young Mayors. Following a co-design joined by local young people, community leaders, councillors and council staff; a local program framework was developed.
The first youth council was elected in May 2023, with more than 1,700 young people voting for 12 young people. Through their term in office the youth council created the foundational structure and ways of working for future youth councils, funded and delivered free Teen Mental Health workshops, and activated the local libraries.
In August 2024, more than 2,000 young people voted in the second youth council who served an 18-month term ending in June 2026. The youth council focused their priorities on recreation, opportunity and wellbeing, delivering a number of events in the community, including YouthFest; a youth created and run celebration event held during Youth Week.
In October 2026, the young people of Mackay will vote for their third youth council. A total of 28 young people are running for the 12 seats, representing young people from across the region.
What suburbs and towns are in the Mackay Regional Council area?
Check out a map here. Mackay Regional Council extends beyond Mackay City, also encompassing Sarina and Koumala to the south, to the O’Connell River in the north including Kuttabul, Calen, Yalboroo and Bloomsbury, and to the Eungella Hinterland in the west including Mirani, Finch Hatton & Eungella.
How old do you have to be to get involved?
Nominations for the Mackay Youth Council are open to young people aged between 11 and 17 years of age living or studying in the Mackay Regional Council area. You do not need to be an Australian citizen to nominate.
If you’ll turn 18 between January 2027 and June 2028 and plan to stay in the region, whether for school, work, study or other reasons, we still want to hear from you. We consider these nominations individually.
Why can’t over 18s run for Youth Council?
Australian citizens aged 18 and over are eligible to vote in local, state and federal elections, and can nominate to run for election to represent their constituents at all levels (and we encourage you to consider it!)
If you’re over 18 and want to be involved in the Young Mayors program in other ways, get in touch!
Is this a school activity?
No. Elections are held at schools but the program runs outside school hours and isn’t part of the curriculum. Let your school know you’re involved — we can provide a letter on request. Occasionally Youth Councillors may take part in activities during school hours, with advance notice.
What does the campaigning period involve?
Eight weeks of learning how to build and run a campaign around the issues you care about. FYA provides workshops, resources, and a campaign budget for materials like posters and t-shirts. To keep it fair, candidates can’t use personal funds or accept donations of any kind. All candidates sign a Code of Conduct when they nominate.
What are the campaign rules?
We are committed to this program being a safe, accessible opportunity for all young people.
If you campaign, you will be asked to agree to a Code of Conduct for you and your supporters. It includes guidelines on social media use and campaign materials. Read the Code of Conduct here.
Candidates will be given a small campaign budget by FYA, and will not be allowed to use any personal funds or seek donations (cash or in-kind) for their campaigns. We want to make sure all young people, regardless of privilege, are on an equal playing field.
Can candidates use social media?
There are strict guidelines for social media use during campaigning and Term in Office. Candidates can not run cash advertising on social media platforms. Full details are in the Code of Conduct.
How many spots are there?
12 spots, spread across two regions so the council is representative of the whole area.
How often and where will the Youth Council meet, and what’s the time commitment?
The Youth Council meets every 2 weeks at the Jubilee Centre. All youth councillors have the option to join via Zoom if attending in-person isn’t possible. Meetings are 1.5 to 2 hours on a weekday after school (day of the week is confirmed once the young people are elected).
The Mackay Team works with youth councillors to support meaningful involvement throughout their Term in Office. While meeting attendance is important, when life gets busy contributions can also be made via email or catch-ups with the Mackay Young Mayors Team.
As well as fortnightly meetings, Youth Council responsibilities may mean attending other meetings and events, as decided by the youth council throughout the Term in Office.
What kind of projects will the Youth Council run?
The Youth Council decides their priorities based on issues identified by young people in Mackay. The projects run by youth councils around Australia and the world have covered a range of issues, including:
- Mental Health First Aid training for young people
- Tree planting project for sustainability outcomes
- Activating public spaces including libraries and local parks
- Music and recreational projects
- Life skills and employment / education pathway projects
- Bus safety and transport advocacy projects
During the Term in Office, the Youth Council will regularly consult with their constituents to make sure their work is meeting the needs of young people in the community.
Does the Youth Council work with Mackay Regional Council and the Mayor?
Yes. Youth Councillors have regular opportunities to meet with and make recommendations to Mackay Regional Council and the Mayor throughout their term.
Will Youth Councillors be paid?
Youth Councillors will be paid a quarterly stipend of $250 ($1500 across the Term in Office) to recognise that costs might come up as a part of being involved (eg. transport). They are also paid $250 to attend an induction before entering the Term in Office.
Food will be provided for meetings with all dietary requirements catered to.
How do elections work?
Elections are supported by the Electoral Commission of Queensland and replicate state and federal voting systems. Candidates nominate for one of two regions — determined by where they feel the most connection, whether that’s where they live, study, or spend time. All young people aged 11–17 in the region are eligible to vote in their region.
Where can I vote?
Polling booths are set up across high schools in the Mackay region during election week, plus community spaces for young people who aren’t in school. Confirmed locations will be posted here in mid-2026.
What suburbs and towns are in the Mackay Regional Council area?
Check out a map here. Mackay Regional Council extends beyond Mackay City, also encompassing Sarina and Koumala to the south, to the O’Connell River in the north including Kuttabul, Calen, Yalboroo and Bloomsbury, and to the Eungella Hinterland in the west including Mirani, Finch Hatton & Eungella.
What if I can’t make it to a booth?
Email [email protected] and the team will sort out a voting alternative with you.
Have more questions?
During the nominations period, we’ll be coming to participating schools and community groups to tell you more about the Young Mayors program and how you can get involved.
In the meantime, if you have a question that hasn’t been answered here, fill out the form below