Former Gwernyfed High School and Llangyndir Primary School pupil James Agness was elected to the South Australian Parliament last month.

James Agness, who emigrated to Australia from the small village of Talybont-On-Usk in 2005, called Bannau Brycheiniog home for the formative years of his life.

At the 2026 South Australian State Election, held on 21 March, Mr Agness was elected as the tenth Member for Light, a peri-urban electorate centred around the township of Gawler approximately 30 miles from the State’s Capital City of Adelaide.

The Township of Gawler is important to the state of South Australia, as it was the second town established in 1836 by Colonel William Light – who the constituency is named after.

Playing football for Llangynidr JFC and Hay JFC, and rugby for Gwernyfed RFC both to Powys representative levels, Mr Agness was also an active member of the Brecon and Talybont Pony Clubs, participating in Pentathlon and the Brecon Swimming Club.

Mr Agness’ first job was at the White Hart Inn, before he was part of the Team that won the AA’s Pub of the Year for Wales in 2004 at award-winning Usk Inn in Talybont.

Mr Agness recalls the election of the Blair Government in 1997 as his political awakening, before witnessing the power of public office as the foot-and-mouth outbreak in 2001 unfolded before the 2003 invasion of Iraq captured the nation.

Prior to his emigration, Mr Agness had planned to read Politics, Philosophy, and Economics and Law at the University of York or the London School of Economics.

Upon his arrival in South Australia, Mr Agness attended Xavier College in Gawler, before graduating from the University of Adelaide with Honours in both Law and International Studies.

He worked as a Law Clerk, before then becoming a respective political adviser and operative to State Government Ministers including “The Rest is Politics” Podcast’s “Foreign Politician of the Year” Premier of South Australia Peter Malinauskas, across the law and order, health, planning and development and international trade and development portfolios.

Mr Agness still has family and friends residing in the Brecon and Radnorshire Area and continues to be a frequent visitor to his childhood home.

His grandfather, Peter Johnson, of Talgarth, aged 95, made his first trip to Australia to support the candidacy and celebrate the victory, accompanied by Mr Agness’ mother, Kay Johnson, of Ebbw Vale.

Mr Agness holds the constituency of Light by a 1.3 per cent margin from Australia’s Right-Wing Populist Party, One Nation.

Speaking on his time in Powys, James said: “I have exceptionally fond memories of growing up in Bannau Brycheiniog, riding my bike along the Brinore Tramroad and the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal.

“I still relish the opportunity to get back to nature to enjoy and explore the beauty of the National Park, and make sure to make a hike up Tor Y Foel as a “must-do” on each visit to look down into the valley at my old house in Meas Mawr Close, Talybont-On-Usk.

“The Brecon and Radnorshire Area taught me the power of community – where everyone chips in and looks out for each other – I could not have asked for a better place to have called home in my formative years,” added James.

“The prospect of leaving “home” at seventeen years of age was daunting, but the opportunity and the lure of adventure and the unknown was too great to turn down.

“Whilst I still miss many of those home comforts, and the best of British cooking, I’ve been exceptionally fortunate in the opportunities I have been afforded since my arrival in Australia.

“Everyday people in the community do exceptional things, and they should be celebrated. My message to anybody who has a dream is: chase it.

“Put your mind to accomplishing it and anything is possible.”