Councillor Imogen Draisma may only be 25 years old, but her worldly views and leadership skills demonstrate a maturity beyond her years. 

Growing up in the Kiama region and now a primary figure guiding the community through a period of rapid change and growth, Councillor Draisma discusses the trials and tribulations that have shaped her.

Cr Draisma moved to the region when she was four years old, shortly after the separation of her parents. She recalls a childhood that was a bit of a mixed bag and – despite a supportive community she always had a sense of not entirely fitting in. 

“I lived with my single Mum and two brothers in the worst house on the best street on the Minnamurra River – but had been in about four rentals prior. Because we moved around a lot, my sense of self and home was based around people rather than place,” she laughs. 

“I spent a lot of time running around the streets of Minnamurra with no shoes on. 

“A group of kids used to hang out every holidays. Over the years, I kind of became a leader of the group.”

Surprisingly, though, Cr Draisma did not undertake leadership roles during her primary years – apart from being Vice Captain of her sporting team, Bradman, which under her helm rose from the ashes to reclaim the relay title. 

While feeling like she never quite belonged as a child growing up around Minnamurra, she later went to Wollongong High School of Performing Arts where she focused on establishing her own network. 

“I used to hang out with all the boys and was very assertive about how I wanted things,”” she recalls. I was the odd duck, but that actually really shaped me.” 

Cr Draisma can now reflect on the social complexities experienced in her younger years with new-found understanding, having discovered she was on the autism spectrum 18 months ago. Her diagnosis, far from being a barrier, gave her the insightful ability to work with it as opposed to it working against her.

“As a result, I have very unique perspectives on things. It has made it a lot easier to understand some aspects of myself and how I operate.”

Two influential people in her life who also helped shape her sense of self are her grandparents, who lived nearby and she often stayed with throughout her childhood. Whilst her Mum was busy supporting her children in a practical sense, her grandparents focused on supporting her interests and abilities.

“My grandma taught me how to sew. My grandfather made furniture that fit under the coffee table that I could use to draw and paint. They focussed on what I was capable of from a young age.”

This relationship offered her curious and creative young mind space to ask complicated questions and digest mature answers – including around politics, which became the fabric of her career. 

“They made me aware of politics and how it impacted my life. I had a lot of complications with my kidneys growing up. I had intensive surgery for chronic urinary reflux which probably saved my life. My grandparents talked to me about Medicare and explained that the surgery was because of things the Labor Party implemented to ensure healthcare accessibility.”

This adult environment nurtured an awareness of the ways politics presented in her life, including: her single Mum accessing Centrelink, school demountables replaced by classrooms as part of stimulus programs implemented during the Global Financial Crisis, and watching Kevin Rudd’s Apology to Australia’s Indigenous peoples in a computer lab. 

Cr Draisma’s former dream of studying costume design at the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney following high school was thwarted by the costs. Instead, she embarked on a double degree – Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Law at University of Wollongong. It was there that her involvement with the Labor Party began, back in 2017. 

With local elections looming, two of her close friends rightfully saw her profound potential and dragged her – admittedly half-heartedly – to her first Labor Party meeting at the Uni Bar. Before long, she became a prominent voice advocating primarily for the marriage equality plebiscite. She was  just 18 years of age. 

However, her university degree was paused when tragedy struck her family in 2019, the situation compounded by the Covid pandemic. 

“One of my brothers took his own life, which was really hard. And then we went into Covid. It was a very isolating period going through grief. It is something you never really recover from, but you learn so much about yourself when you go through those intensive traumatic life events. Resituating myself into what I wanted to do with my life really changed after that.”

Shortly after, following pandemic-related rainchecks, Cr Draisma ran for Kiama Council in 2021. Given there had previously been very little diversity in the Council, her campaign was met with contrasting praise and pessimism within the community. 

“There was a movement started by women in the community called ‘more than one’, promoting change within our Council. There was also a push from the Officer of Local Government and minister, who provided a grant and regional workshops for women running for election.”

Other parties who were less receptive to political diversity gave Cr Draisma a greater drive to succeed in doing positive work within and for the community. 

“The biggest thing I had to prove was not that I adhered to the party’s values, but that I was competent. One audience member at a community forum asked if I could actually read a business paper! I wanted to make people feel uncomfortable and rethink their understanding of what leadership looks like. You cannot do the same thing and expect different results.”

Cr Draisma has taken some steep professional and personal learning curves following her council appointment, particularly during her periods covering for Cr Neil Reilly as Acting Mayor. She has been involved in unravelling the financial dire straits inherited from the previous Council. And she is often accosted at community meetings, which she views in both empathetic and realistic lights.

“People can come across emotively about issues they have with Council or a particular decision – and that is understandable. On the other hand, community apathy towards politics can lead to the worst outcomes. However, a lot of it comes from them not understanding. Community expectations can far exceed the Council's resources.”

Particularly with the next election looming later this year, Cr Draisma continues to set her sights high. 

“I feel I need to be where I can make the most positive change. We desperately need more arts and cultural spaces. Essential workers not being able to live in town is another issue to overcome, so I am also passionate about working with the community and partners to deliver more affordable housing.”

As the region inevitably grows, Cr Draisma continues to encourage diversity and change. “You cannot expect this town to look the same, the people to be the same. If you make an enemy of change, you will lose the battle. We have to be part of the change process. I think we need more change, more diversity in our leadership. My legacy is that I am not the last of how leadership can change in our community.”

Particularly when someone is a prominent figure leading a community through controversial times, it can be easy to forget that everyone has a story that has inspired their genuine desire and drive to help. Cr Draisma is not shy to tell hers in the hope it may encourage others.