New Zealand Youth Parliament

The New Zealand Youth Parliament is a national event held once in each term of parliament (usually every three or four years). New Zealand’s 6th Youth Parliament will be held on 6 & 7 July 2010.^[1] The previous youth parliaments were held in 2007 ^[2], 2004^[3], 2000^[4] and 1997^[5] and 1994.

Youth Parliament is an initiative of the Minister of Youth Affairs, which is currently the Hon Paula Bennett MP. The Minister works with a committee of her Parliamentary colleagues (representing every party in Parliament) to administer Youth Parliament.

The Minister receives support from the Ministry of Youth Development who work closely with other agencies within the parliamentary complex including The Office of the Speaker, Parliamentary Services and the Office of the Clerk of the New Zealand House of Representatives.

Selection process

Young people, aged 16 – 18 years, from around New Zealand are chosen by their local (electorate or list) Member of Parliament (MP) to be a Youth Member of Parliament (Youth MP). There is no set process for an MP to select their Youth MP and it varies widely.^[6]

The Role of a Youth MP

Youth MPs travel to Wellington and are based at Parliament where they act in the role of an MP for two days. This includes participating in a debate on mock legislation, participating in general debates, sitting on select committees and asking parliamentary questions of Cabinet Ministers.

6th Youth Parliament MPs (2010)

The 122 Youth MPs are still being elected or appointed by individial MPs.

5th Youth Parliament MPs (2007)

Jade Emmanuelle Gray, (L = representing a List MP) Andreas Triandafilidis, (e = representing an Electorate MP) Pauline Robertson, (e) Michelle Nathan-TeAo, (e) Jordan Green, (L) Jenny Suo, (L) Alicia Gainsford, (e) Anna Meikle, (e) Kyla Wood, (L) Lauren Kilkolly, (L) Sam Brown, (e) Daphne Kalekale, (L) Sophie Kalderimis, (L) Nicole Slight, (e) James Sleep, (L) Kushla Dunning, (L) Jonathan Rowe, (e) Kimaya McIntosh, (e) Awhina Ashby, (e) Devon Sansbury, (e) Eddie Tuiavil, (L) Lana Walters, (e) Vinnie Wylie, (L) Kritika Satija, (L) Holly Chase, (e) Brennan McDonald, (e) Ed Brownlee, (e) Steph Grogan, (e) Rink Tacoma, (e) Isaac Rayner, (L) Gareth Veale, (e) Olivia West, (L) Amy Pollard, (e) James Tawa, (e) Kate Willyams, (e) Shaun Kennedy, (L) Amanda Hillock, (e) James Walkinshaw, (e) Kaitlyn Gulland, (e) Daniel Luoni, (e) James Barnett, (L) Emma Jones, (L) Richard Aiolupotea, (e) Seamus Woods, (L) Zoe Donald, (L) Mania Campbell-Seymour, (e) Annika Tombleson, (e) Chelsie Foley, (e) Kelly Im, (e) Johnny Crawford, (e) Elenoa Cook, (e) Sam Hannagan, (e) Anna Devathasan, (L) Jason Larsen, (L) Hope Puriri, (e) Ashleigh Kapi, (L) Fale Lesa, (e) Nikkii Mott, (e) Jeffrey Burson, (e) John Kingi, (L) Mariarna Te Tai, (L) Joel Brown, (L) Alannah Manson, (e) Elisha Watson, (e) John Brinsley-Pirie, (e) Noema Te Hau, (e)

Lucy Child, (e) Ashley Brown, (L) Jaz Morris, (L) Sam Jackson, (e) Gwilym Breese, world renowned harmonica player,(e) Livi Hall, (e) Sandra Samuelu, (e) Kate Steel, (L) Sam Abraham, (L) Susannah Neild, (e) Ella Edginton, (e) Shaun Ritchie, (e) Richard English, (L) Lara Delany, (e) Amy Coatsworth, (L) Jessie Templeton, (e) Mareta Taute, (e) Jeff Carroll, (L) Jen Smith, (L) Matthew Neary, (e) Luke Craven, (L) Alex Clark, (L) Daisy Hunter, (e) Emily Legge, (e) Diana Mockford, (L) Chuan-Zheng Lee, (L) Philip Wiley, (e) Greg Bolton-Brown, (L) Penny Tipu, (e) Natalie Gow, (e) Natalie Robinson, (L) Dee Naidoo, (L) Coral Panoho, (e) Saga Sifakula, (L) Caitlin Grover, (e) Nick Mitchell, (e) Renée Cox, (L) Nicky Dunn, (L) Loren O'Sullivan, (L) Robert Anderson, (e) Amelia Morgan, (L) Kirsty Smith, (e) Sophia Johnson, (e) Shaun Wallis, (e) Kate Primrose, (e) Ngahuia Crossman, (L) Ariana Emery, (e) Shelley Duffy, (L) Emma Gin, (L) Josh Dunn, (L) Anas Sirajur Raheem, (e) Megan Matthews, (L) Michelle Lee, (L) Anna Lee, (L) Jeny Cant, (L)

Notable Youth MP facts

One current New Zealand Labour Party MP, Kris Faafoi, was a Youth MP. The Hon. Darren Hughes was also a Youth in MP.

The Catholic Maori Boarding School Hato Paora College of Feilding is the only school to have had three Youth MPs in the same Youth Parliament 2000.

With the appointment of Kati Tuatini as Youth MP representing National MP and Cabinet Minister, the Hon Georgina Te Heuheu in 2010, the Metuamate/Tuatini family of Lake Tekapo boasts three siblings selected to be Youth MPs. Kataraina's older sister, Aroha Tuatini^[7] was a Youth MP in 2004 representing Labour MP and Minister of State, the Hon Mahara Okeroa and their older brother Areti Metuamate^[8] was a Youth MP in 2000 representing Green MP Sue Kedgley.

References

1. ^ http://www.myd.govt.nz/have-your-say/youth-parliament/
2. ^ http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0707/S00127.htm
3. ^ http://www.hansard.parliament.govt.nz/hansard/Final/YOUTH_PARLIAMENT_2004_DAY_1.htm
4. ^ http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/youth+parliament+debate+decriminalisation
5. ^ http://www.gg.govt.nz/node/475
6. ^ http://www.myd.govt.nz/have-your-say/youth-parliament/how-you-can-become-a-youth-member-of-parliament.html
7. ^ http://www.hansard.parliament.govt.nz/hansard/Final/YOUTH_PARLIAMENT_2004_DAY_2.htm
8. ^ http://www.swynz.org.nz/?q=node/10

• [1] - Youth Parliament website