Isabella Lemma is determined to see that rural issues make it onto the agenda of the inaugural National Youth Parliament, where she will represent the Nicholls electorate.
“We’re the first cohort of this to ever happen on a federal level; not a lot of people understand how big of a deal it is,” Isabella, 17, said.
For Isabella, the achievement is deeply personal and rooted in lived experience.
Growing up on a dairy and cropping farm at Toolamba, both her world view and political awareness have been shaped by the realities of agricultural life.
“I’ve always grown up on it... we’ve always caught the brunt of it because it’s not easy running a farm,” she said.
“A lot of youth members will come from the city, so it’s really important to have members that come from regional areas and farms because we understand this a lot better than city folk will.”
Influenced not by school but family routine, politics has been part of Isabella’s world since before she can remember.
“The only thing on TV at dinner was ABC News,” she said.
“I remember being seven and having an interest in politics — I’ve had such a strong understanding of it from such a young age.”
That early exposure sparked a great fascination that has only grown stronger.
The daughter of Vince and Nina Lemma, she is the faith leader at Notre Dame, a member of the Amplify youth committee and the youngest member of her local Young Nationals branch.
She credits her school, saying it played a major role in nurturing her leadership.
Inspired by her regional upbringing, Isabella was unapologetically clear about the pressing issues she wanted to raise in Canberra.
Among them are agricultural support, cost-of-living pressures, crime and homelessness.
“People who work on farms are the people that bring you food to eat, and we get minimal respect,” she said.
“And homelessness is huge with me... I feel so deeply for those people.”
With more than 2200 applications nationwide, Isabella was shortlisted and, accompanied by a stellar letter of recommendation from Federal Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell, her hopes were high.
The moment she found out she had been selected is one she won’t forget.
“I literally started crying. I couldn’t believe it,” she said.
Her nerves have quickly been replaced by excitement after connecting with fellow representatives online, and she is eager to meet peers with the same interests.
“It’s really good to find other 17- and 18-year-olds this heavily interested in politics,” she said.
Isabella hopes the National Youth Parliament will be the first step in a long political journey.
But for now, her focus is clear.
“I hope to achieve better leadership skills and continue to be a young voice for people in Nicholls, not just for five days in Canberra,” she said.
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