Heather Roy's Diary - Youth MP Wanted
act-new-zealand
Fri Mar 02 2007 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)
Heather Roy's Diary - Youth MP Wanted
Friday, 2 March 2007, 3:43 pm
Column: ACT New Zealand
Heather Roy's Diary
Situation Vacant - Youth MP Wanted
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be an MP, or thought you could do a better job than the present lot? Do you love robust debate? Do you have a vision for New Zealand's future? If so, the following job might be for you (temporarily at least)!
Vacancy: 1 of 121 seats in parliament - this vacancy is for the Youth Parliament seat of Heather Roy, ACT MP When: 8 - 11 July 2007 Where: Parliament Cost: Travel to Wellington and accommodation expenses are covered Age: 16 -18 years of age Skills needed: An interest in politics is important, opinions on issues of the day and the ability to articulate these, caring about New Zealand's future and being prepared to publicly stand up for your views. Application: Send details (name, address, email, phone, school/tertiary institute) along with a brief statement of why you would like to be a Youth MP and a paragraph on the biggest issue facing New Zealanders today and why to sandy.grove@parliament.govt.nz Deadline: 31 March 2007
Once every three years, our elected MPs step aside for a week as young Kiwis take control of Parliament. This year, from the 8th until the 11th of July, each MP will be represented in Youth Parliament by a 16-18 year old, watched over by a youth press gallery.
Youth MPs participate in a general debate, run select committee meetings, and face down Cabinet Ministers at Question Time. They also meet MPs, learn about how Parliament works and debate Private Members Bills on issues ranging from banning junk food in schools to voluntary membership of students associations and lowering the voting age.
Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
Typically, these young MPs provide a stark contrast to the negative stereotypes we otherwise hear about "the youth of today". Actually, when I've spoken to youth organisations around the country I am always impressed with the way they have grasped issues of the day, can clearly articulate their opinion and know what they think could be done about the problems facing the country.
It is easy to focus on the media headlines about those who have gone off the rails. While society rightly focuses on how to deal with them they are actually a very small minority and we shouldn't allow them to taint the real talent that prevails amongst our young people. I see many who have the ability to become the leaders of the future - in education, sport, in business and in politics. My job as a politician is to create the environment today that will allow today's young people to develop their skills and talents without chasing them away from New Zealand tomorrow.
Just as with elected MPs, youth MPs come to Parliament from a wide variety of backgrounds and bring different levels of experience, but share a common passion for their communities and the country. The debates they have can get every bit as excited (though rarely as rude) as other parliamentary discussions, and are a valuable insight into how young people really think about the issues which confront us "grownup MPs" every day.
Young or old, to be a successful MP you need the ability to understand complex information, the capability to communicate clearly the things you believe in, a willingness to tackle difficult issues and an interest in making New Zealand an even better country. Youth parliament provides an opportunity to test these skills alongside people from around the country and across the political spectrum.
So if you're 16 to 18 years old, are passionate about youth issues and politics, can be in Wellington from July 8th to 11th (travel and accommodation is provided) and are interested in taking my seat in Parliament, please email sandy.grove@parliament.govt.nz with your name, address, email, phone, school or tertiary institution (if applicable), a brief statement about why you would like to be a youth MP and a paragraph on what you think is the most important issue facing New Zealand.
ENDS
Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
a.supporter:hover {background:#EC4438!important;} @media screen and (max-width: 480px) { #byline-block div.byline-block {padding-right:16px;}}
Using Scoop for work?
Scoop is free for personal use, but you’ll need a licence for work use. This is part of our Ethical Paywall and how we fund Scoop. Join today with plans starting from less than $3 per week, plus gain access to exclusive Pro features.
Join Pro Individual Find out more
Find more from ACT New Zealand on InfoPages.