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It’s youth parliament week when 139 young people from across Aotearoa New Zealand stand in as Youth members of Parliament, Youth Press Gallery members, and the Youth Clerk.
Speaker Trevor Mallard says the youth MPs have been working since March with their communities to develop topics and issues to talk about.
They’ve learned about parliamentary processes, while members of the Youth Press Gallery have been reporting on this mahi, and the first Youth Clerk has been discovering the inner workings of parliamentary procedure.
Today and tomorrow the Youth MPs will take part in mock debates, attend caucus sessions, sit on select committees, and ask oral questions of Ministers.
After this week’s event, participants have six weeks to continue working in their communities and finish projects before the 2022 tenure comes to an end.
Meanwhile, the Māori Party has opted to hold its own youth wananga in parliament.
Co-leader Rawiri Waititi says it didn’t want to be limited to two youth MPs, so it’s bringing another 40 rangtahi along in support.
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