Newlands College student brings community voice to Parliament
Newlands College student Sophie Blacklock is bringing her passion for people and community to the national stage as the Youth MP for Ōhāriu in Youth Parliament 2025.
By Sebastien Booth, Youth Press Gallery, Youth Parliament 2025
Photo Caption: Sophie Blacklock, Youth MP
Selected by local MP Greg O’Connor, Blacklock says the experience so far has been both inspiring and humbling.
“You’re surrounded by so many incredible young people. It can be a bit intimidating, but I try to stay grounded in my purpose. I really care about my community and want to represent it well.”
As a member of the Parliamentary Working Group (PWG) focusing on retirement income, Blacklock is drawing on personal experience to shape her approach.
“My grandparents are moving into a retirement home this year. I wanted to choose a topic I felt connected to, something close to my heart. That’s how I knew I’d stay passionate about it.,” she says.”
Her plan includes community engagement with three different age groups: retirees, working adults aged 35–55, and rangatahi / young people aged 13–17. She and Greg O’Connor are preparing to visit a local retirement village to hear from older New Zealanders directly.
“I want to understand how people at different life stages think about retirement policy,” she explains. “It’s not just a numbers issue, it affects how people feel about their futures.”
While Blacklock’s engagement work is just beginning, delayed slightly due to an “intense” commitment to her school’s theatre production, she’s already written a draft report for the upcoming PWG sessions at Parliament.
The conversation couldn’t be more timely. Retirement income policy has become a hot topic following recent changes announced by the Government, including new rules around KiwiSaver credits (RNZ, 2025). Commentators have also flagged the political sensitivity of cutting superannuation costs (RNZ, 2025).
For Blacklock, the chance to be part of a national conversation is a responsibility she’s proud to take on.
Youth Parliament 2025 is a non-partisan programme run by the Ministry of Youth Development and the New Zealand Parliament. It brings together 123 Youth MPs and 20 Youth Press Gallery members from across Aotearoa for a four-month tenure, culminating in a two-day event at Parliament in Wellington from 30 June to 2 July.