Youth parliament > Press gallery > Youth Parliament 2007 Opinion Page by Rebekah Lyell

Youth Parliament 2007 Opinion Page by Rebekah Lyell

Profiles of various Youth MPs.

By Rebekah Lyell


John Brinsley-Pirie

16
Pete Hodgson
Logan Park High School
“I think the biggest thing from youth parliament has been in the debating chamber which was about racism. It is both good and bad. It’s very interesting because there is so much to talk about, and there isn’t really a right or wrong answer.”


Sam Brown

16
David Benson-Pope
Kings’ High School in Dunedin
“NCEA is a big issue. No one really understands it and that’s a big issue. It’s our future and we need to know. I think a percentage grade as well as the achieved, merit, excellence scale is needed.”


Lucy Child
16
Paul Hutchinson
Waiuku College
“There are heaps of issues facing us. But the biggest is gang culture. Youth are being sucked into belonging and are heading down a slippery slope. More education and more viable options are needed.”


Penny Tipu

16
Eric Roy
Southland Girls’ High School
“Positive discrimination is a big issue. People aren’t educated about why Maori have scholarship opportunities. It’s a good thing though because it relates to the Treaty.”


Ngahuia Crossman
16
Metiria Turei
Otago Girls’ High School
“Drugs and alcohol is massive. Your learning ability is impaired and youth don’t extend themselves. You get hung over so you don’t get up and go to class. Then you have people mixing drugs and alcohol which is another issue in itself.”


Zoe Donald

15
Jeanette Fitzsimons
Unlimited Paenga Tawhiti in Christchurch
“Climate change is a big issue but drugs and alcohol are bigger. When you get into an unsafe situation and environment things turn nasty. Having party pills in the corner dairy is ridiculous. We need solid information about the long term effects of there.”


Jaz Morris

17
Sue Kedgley
Wellington College
“Climate change is affecting the whole of humanity. It threatens to change the lives of everyone. We will have t o start changing our viewpoints about everything – work, power and flicking a switch.”


James Sleep

15
Sue Bradford
Correspondence School
“For me it is equality and bringing out the rights of youth to create informed participants. Parliament needs to go further to represent youth. I’m still making my mind up about Vote 16.”


Ed Brownlee

17
Jonathon Coleman
Rosmini College
“Out future is a big concern. Economic and financial policies will affect us. Taxation discourages innovation and growth and discriminates against successful people.”


Alicia Gainsford
18
Jim Anderton
Villa Maria Girls’ High
“Alcohol related problems is a problem. These include sexual behaviour, drink driving and a whole lot more. Alcohol has such varying reactions to individuals.”


Emma Gin

17
Nicki Wagner
Avonside Girls’ High School
“Discrimination and stereotyping concerns me. We should all be equal.”


Nicky Dunn

17
Barbara Stewart
St Peters College
“Discrimination and equality, having different ages for different things isn’t great. You have to be 18 to drink but 15 to drive. We need to have one age.”


Nikkii Mott

16
John Hayes
Dannevirke High School
“Ages should be equal. It’s a joke at the moment.”


Jeny Cant

17
Diane Yates
Victoria University
“Fitting in with others is a concern. Ensuring everyone’s mental maturity is on the same level is important. We need better support systems and mentorship programmes.”


Hope Puriri
17
Hone Harawira
Whangarei Girls’ High School
“Positive discrimination is a major issue for me. It caused such an outrage in the chamber and touched a few hearts. It can be good and bad, but let’s face it, New Zealand is a multicultural society.”


Susannah Neild
17
Steve Maharey
Awatapu College
“Teachers walk into a class and see Maori and think they will fail. We need to change teachers’ expectations. It does nothing to encourage Maori to achieve.”


Nicole Slight

17
Chester Borrows
Wanganui High School
“The education system and in particular NCEA. The three levels of grades aren’t enough, they aren’t a good indication of achievement.”


Ashley and Joel Brown

17
Shane Jones and Dave Hereora
Taipa Area School
Ashley: “Under 16 voting is stupid. If it ain’t broke then don’t fix it.”
Joel: Race discrimination was a big issue raised. Everyone should be treated the same.”


Olivia West
17
Michael Cullen
Taradale High School
“In the chamber racial differences were raised. It was a passionate debate as it affects everyone. I think by having Maori only scholarships it makes them a weaker race as they allow themselves the opportunity to not push themselves.”


Dee Naidoo
16
Katrina Shanks
Taradale High School
“I’m from South Africa and so I have seen apartheid. If we continue having Maori scholarships we will divide New Zealand into black or white. Its not good.”


Daphne Kalekale
17
Jackie Blue
Mount Albert Grammar
“Everyone divides into Maori, Pacific Island or Pakeha. It has its advantages and its disadvantages. I think everyone needs to be equal.”


Elenoa Cook

17
Mark Gosche
Otahuhu College
“For me youth gangs and violence is a concern. It’s sad to see young people go down that road. We need to take our knowledge and make an impact. As Nanaia Mahuta said “It is the challenges that define us, not our successes.” That resonates well with me.”


Saga Sifakula

17
Clem Simich
Otahuhu College
“In my community it is education. A lot of comparison is made between NCEA and Cambridge exams. The exaggerations in the media aren’t true of NCEA. It just needs a few tweaks to make it relevant to all New Zealanders.”


Alannah Manson

17
Rodney Hide
Marist College
“Student loans and debt worry me. As soon as you start tertiary you are in for money troubles. The government should subside university fees more. It worked in the past so I think it will work in the future.”


Jessie Templeton

16
Damien O’Connor
Motueka High School
“Youth have such a negative representation in the media. If you listen to them we are smoking, drugged, pregnant, drunk. It means we have no expectations to live up to.”


Pauline Robertson

17
Tim Barnett
Linwood College
“We are being left with environmental crises. We need to find solutions and push through. A stronger community involvement is needed to ensure the future of the environment for the next generation.”


Sam Abraham

17
Moana Mackey
Opotiki College
“We are told we are the future but what future are we going to have when so many youth leave school with no qualifications. We need to remember ‘school is cool’.”


Sam Hannagan

17
Sandra Goudie
Hauraki Plains High School
“The state of the planet concerns me. We need to make the switch from carbon power to nuclear power. More education and awareness is needed to make informed decisions about the future of our power.”


Sam Jackson

17
John Key
Massey High School
I think we touched on a big issue, which was discrimination. The concept of being equal is ambiguous. Is it really equal to treat everybody the same?”

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