Altona North’s Oussama Abou-Zeid has been named this year’s Youth Premier of Victoria.
Mr Abou-Zeid, who in April was named one of Hobsons Bay’s most inspiring young people in the council’s Youth Week awards, becomes leader of the 120 members of the YMCA’s Youth Parliament.
Youth Parliament brings together six teams from across Victoria who next month will debate legislation in the State Parliament chambers.
Mr Abou-Zeid said Hobsons Bay’s “bill” would support 24-hour public transport.
“There’s bills such as trying to increase the drinking age to 21, trying to raise the age of [consent for] cosmetic surgery,” he said.
“There’s trying to eliminate takeaway foods – there’s lots of topics that people feel concerned about.”
It is the second year Mr Abou-Zeid has taken his seat in the Parliament.
“I basically just want to give back to the YMCA, give back to others and share my experiences with the participants to ensure they also have a good time,” he said.
“I basically just said, I will try my best to ensure you guys all have a good time and try to have as much fun as we can.
“It’s been an amazing program and it changes so many lives – just the way you see so many young people, passionate people, in the chambers in the highest form of debate you can possibly have, and to have an effect that you can change the law just empowers all the youth.”
Although he wouldn’t mind a political career, Mr Abou-Zeid said his studies were “the complete opposite”, preparing him for the construction industry.
In partnership with Joel Kuperholz, Mr Abou-Zeid, an AFL ambassador, was last year named Hobsons Bay’s joint young citizen of the year on Australia Day.
Three years ago, the pair formed the MUJU Peace Club’s Islamic and Jewish football teams, each team comprising equal numbers of Muslim and Jewish players competing for the Unity Cup.
