Written by 
About 5 hours ago, I finally arrived home after being picked up from Olympic Park Lodge by my mum, thus ending my week at YMCA NSW Youth Parliament’s Residential Camp and probably marking the last time I will ever see many of the people who attended.
This past week has been one of the most amazing weeks of my life. On Monday Morning I walked into NSW Parliament House for the first time, and then the Legislative Council, and then the Legislative Assembly. Spectacular. The oldest place of parliamentary democracy in our nation. And to think, I’d be speaking in this “bear pit” for the people of my electorate, for the youth of Australia, and for my people.
Tuesday was the day. The Aboriginal Affairs Bill was up first, and Premier Barry O’Farrell was acting as the Speaker. Okay, that’s not too bad. Barry O’Farrell’s just a normal guy. Heck, you’ve even exchanged tweets with him. You’re fine. But wait, what’re you talking on? Who are you talking for? Oh man. You know you always get a sick feeling in your stomach whenever you do the Welcome to Country, because you think it’s important and you don’t want to dishonour it with a mistake. But nobody will notice anyway, not many of them would ever know enough Wiradjuri to pick up on it. But here, you’re speaking English. And you’re not speaking a welcome, you’re standing up for your bill and your people. Okay, it’s your turn. Once she’s done speaking. That’s it, stand up. “Mr. Speaker”, nice and loud. Good. Now speak. No, no, no! Don’t read it, speak it! Ah, damn. Wait, here’s your chance to make up for it. The floor’s open, someone else is about to finish. Seek the call. Speak!
That’s what our parliamentary system is all about. Standing and speaking for something, for someone, is quite an experience. Especially so in the NSW Legislative Assembly. Not many people in this world ever have the opportunity to represent people and even fewer get to deliver speeches in the bear pit. One of amazing things about Youth Parliament is that it takes young people from all around the state and gives them the opportunity to stand in our lower house and speak their mind on issues while representing their electorate and youth in general.
The effect that this has on such already amazing young people is incredible. The passion of these diverse young people, from different places, with different ethnicities, genders and sexual orientations, as they all combine to debate issues such as euthanasia, mandatory detention for asylum seekers and commercialising surrogacy to name a few, is astonishing! The energy that went into all the eloquently delivered arguments sent this excitable atmosphere radiating throughout the entire chamber.
Youth Parliament changes lives. Many current and former YPs were testaments to that during the week, with many a tear shed over speeches describing the growth, new confidence and friendship fostered throughout the program. When you take dozens of diverse, intelligent and passionate young people who are all eager to express their views and ideas from all around the state and throw them together, stuff goes down.
Friendships are formed, minds are opened, new wonders are experienced, and lives are changed. Youth Parliament has turned my burning flame to stand up for what I believe in, to help & represent people to improve this world as much as possible into a blazing bonfire. It’s also shown me that there are many more young people out there with similar desires as me than I could have imagined. And they’re all so very different. When living in a country town with a population of 10,000 you’re only exposed to a very limited cross-section of this nation’s population. Youth Parliament threw me right into the heart of Sydney and exposed me to all sorts of different viewpoints and ideals, allowing me to better understand people and why they think what they think.
Youth Parliament is all about people. It’s about taking some of the brightest young people from around the state and enabling them, investing in them and allowing them to grow. It’s about giving the quiet a voice, giving the shy some confidence, encouraging young people to get up and speak up. Youth Parliament changes lives, and it could change yours.
Jason O’Neil.
Find Out More About the YMCA NSW Youth Parliament:
