New Zealand Youth Parliament

Role and functions

Youth Parliament is an initiative led by the Minister for Youth, currently James Meager. The Minister works with a committee of their Parliamentary colleagues (representing every party in Parliament) to administer Youth Parliament.

The Minister receives support from the Ministry of Youth Development, who work closely with other agencies within the parliamentary complex including The Office of the Speaker, Parliamentary Services and the Office of the Clerk of the New Zealand House of Representatives.

History

The New Zealand Youth Parliament was first held in 1994, being held to mark the 20th anniversary of the voting age being lowered to 18. The event was shorter than it is now, with young people coming to Parliament for an educational day. Due to the success of the event, Cabinet invited the Minister of Youth Affairs to continue holding the event every three or four years. Since then, the event has been held in 1997, 2000, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2022, and 2025.

Former Labour MP Darren Hughes, who once held the Statistics portfolio and was the associate minister for Social Development and Employment, was a Youth MP at the first Youth Parliament in 1994. Hughes said in his maiden speech as MP that he was proud to be the first Youth MP to become the "real thing".

Event

The Youth Parliament takes place over two days, and is designed to be as similar to the actual running of Parliament as possible. The event is typically opened by the governor-general. The website of the *Ministry of Youth Development *says that Youth Parliament "is an opportunity for young New Zealanders to influence government decision-making as active citizens and have their views heard by key decision-makers and the public."

Throughout the event Youth MPs take part in a variety of parliamentary activities. A mock bill is established and focused on, usually targeting an issue relating to youth or that youth can be involved in. Youth MPs work on various select committees and consider submissions, ask questions of Cabinet Ministers, participate in debates, come together in caucus sessions and experience various other aspects of parliament. Youth MPs have an opportunity to meet actual members of parliament. Members of the public can also watch mock debates in the debating chamber, as they would with a normal parliamentary debate.

As well as the Youth MPs, 20 youth press gallery members are chosen by the Parliamentary Press Gallery, and report on the event and running of parliament, similar to the actual press gallery.

The New Zealand Business and Parliament Trust runs a competition open to all Youth MPs and Youth Press Gallery members, which asks entrants to discuss the experience and what they have learned and taken back to their community. In 2007 this was an essay, and in 2010 entrants created a video. Prizes totaling several thousands of dollars are available to the winners.

Select committees

During the event Youth MPs work on parliamentary select committees. Each committee views and discusses submissions, and reviews related legislation. Each committee relates to a different subject. As of 2013, there were ten Youth Parliament select committees. These are:

• Social Services
• Health
• Transport and Industrial Relations
• Local Government and Environment
• Education and Science
• Commerce
• Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade
• Justice
• Maori Affairs
• Primary Production

Selection and role

Young people, aged 16 to 18 years, from around New Zealand are chosen by their local (electorate or list) Member of Parliament (MP) to be a Youth Member of Parliament (Youth MP). There is no set process for an MP to select their Youth MP. During Youth Parliament, Youth MPs have the opportunity to debate legislation, sit on select committees and ask parliamentary questions of Cabinet Ministers. Youth MPs are independent, as opposed to belonging to a parliamentary party.

Around the Youth Parliament event, Youth MPs remain in the role for a period of time, and are expected to gain an understanding of the ideas and concerns of youth in the area. In 2013 this was from 1 May to 1 December, with the event being held in July, and during this time period the Youth MPs had the opportunity to work with their local communities and local MP.

Organisation

The organisation of Youth Parliament is overseen by the Multi-Party Parliamentary Steering Committee. A representative from each party represented in Parliament is invited to join the committee. The aim is to ensure non-partisan organisation of Youth Parliament as well as active participation by all parties, to ensure that the event is successful. The Ministry of Youth Development also works on organising and promoting the event, with the Minister of Youth Development being responsible for the event overall.

1st Youth Parliament (1994)

Youth MPs 1994

2nd Youth Parliament (1997)

Youth MPs 1997

List means the individual is representing a List MP, while Electorate indicates they are representing an Electorate MP.

3rd Youth Parliament (2000)

Youth MPs 2000

List means the individual is representing a List MP, while Electorate indicates they are representing an Electorate MP.

4th Youth Parliament (2004)

The 4th Youth Parliament took place on 16 and 17 August 2004.

Youth MPs 2004

List means the individual is representing a List MP, while Electorate indicates they are representing an Electorate MP.

5th Youth Parliament (2007)

The 5th Youth Parliament took place from 8 to 11 July 2007. This was an extended period of days compared to previous years, as a trial to fit in more events and discussion. After 2007 Youth Parliament reverted to a two-day event.

Youth MPs 2007

List means the individual is representing a List MP, while Electorate indicates they are representing an Electorate MP.

6th Youth Parliament (2010)

The 6th Youth Parliament took place on 6 and 7 July 2010. The mock bill focused on creating a single age of majority, that would make a single age for different activities to become lawful, such as drinking, driving and voting ages.

Youth MPs 2010

List means the individual is representing a List MP, while Electorate indicates they are representing an Electorate MP.

7th Youth Parliament (2013)

The 7th Youth Parliament was held on 16 and 17 July 2013. The mock bill topic was Electoral Reform, with discussions about reducing the voting age, introducing electronic voting, making voting compulsory and extending the Term of Parliament taking place.

Youth MPs 2013

List means the individual is representing a List MP, while Electorate indicates they are representing an Electorate MP.

8th Youth Parliament (2016)

Youth MPs 2016

List means the individual is representing a List MP, while Electorate indicates they are representing an Electorate MP.

9th Youth Parliament (2019)

The 9th Youth Parliament was held on 16 and 17 July 2019. The mock bill was the Sustainable Energy Bill, which debated introducing strong targets to move New Zealand to renewable energy alternatives and lower emissions.

This term of Youth Parliament made headlines on multiple occasions. Most notably, a successful motion to declare a climate emergency was moved by Chlöe Swarbrick's Youth MP, Luke Wijohn. Swarbrick herself had unsuccessfully attempted to move the same motion in Parliament weeks earlier.

Youth MP, Shaneel Shavneel Lal founded the movement to end conversion therapy in New Zealand at 9th Youth Parliament after their speech during the general debate. Their speech received a standing ovation at Parliament.

The event also made headlines after it was revealed that Deputy Speaker Anne Tolley had reduced Youth MP Lily Dorrance to tears after shutting down her speech on youth suicide as Dorrance was reading from her notes, which Tolley believed was against standing orders. Multiple Youth MPs raised points of order stating that this was not against standing orders as they believed there was no such rule. Dorrance later said she felt "humiliated", and Tolley subsequently apologised to both Dorrance and Speaker Trevor Mallard.

Later in 2019 but still during the tenureship of the Youth MP programme, three Youth MPs, Wijohn, Arie Faber and Lily Chen, representing Swarbrick, Jan Logie and Golriz Ghahraman respectively, were ejected from Parliament's public gallery and issued with a twelve-month ban from Parliament grounds after interrupting the proceedings of the house by loudly verbally protesting the government's position on the occupation at Ihumātao. Swarbrick, Logie and Ghahraman later stated they disapproved of their Youth MPs actions.

Youth MPs 2019

List means the individual is representing a List MP, while Electorate indicates they are representing an Electorate MP.

10th Youth Parliament (2022)

The 10th Youth Parliament was held on 19 and 20 July 2022.

Youth MPs 2022

List means the individual is representing a List MP, while Electorate indicates they are representing an Electorate MP.

11th Youth Parliament (2025)

The 11th Youth Parliament was held on 1 and 2 July 2025. The tenure began on 28 April 2025 and ended on 29 August 2025. 123 young people, between the ages of 16 and 18, were selected by MPs to participate as Youth MPs. Additionally, 20 young people, between the ages of 16 and 24, were selected by a panel to participate as Youth Press Gallery Members.

The event was shrouded in controversy and made headlines after multiple Youth MPs and Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins called the event out for supposed 'Censorship' in General Debate Speech scripts. The supposed censorship surrounded criticism of the government among other things. The coverage of the event got to the point where Minister for Youth James Meager published a statement which suggested there was no Censorship and that the emails from the Ministry of Youth Development (MYD) were only suggestions. On July 2nd, Youth MPs from governing parties also held a press conference and refuted the claims of the other Youth MPs, suggesting there was no censorship. The incidents garnered press attention across the country, and involved MPs from both sides of the house, the MYD and several Youth MPs for the duration of the event.

Youth MPs 2025

List means the individual is representing a List MP, while Electorate indicates they are representing an Electorate MP.

Youth Press Gallery Members 2025

A panel selected up to 20 young people to participate as Youth Press Gallery members. To apply to be a member of the Youth Press Gallery, young people needed to complete the application form. The link to the online application could be found on SmartyGrants. The application form asked young people to provide a current Curriculum Vitae (CV), two examples of their work, an opinion piece on one of two topics provided, and two references.

References

References

1. (17 July 2013). "Ministers feel the heat during Youth Parliament question time". One News.
2. "Youth Parliament". Ministry of Youth Development.
3. "Ministry of Youth Development". [[New Zealand Government]].
4. "Ministry of Youth Development – Te Manatū Whakahiato Taiohi". [[Ministry of Social Development (New Zealand).
5. (13 May 2016). "Governor-General's Visit to Greece and London".
6. Harré, Laila. (6 July 2000). "Youth Parliament to debate decriminalisation".
7. (16 August 2014). "New Zealand Youth Parliament 2004 – Monday, 16 August 2004".
8. (July 2007). "Introduction to Youth Parliament 2007".
9. "Youth Parliament 2010". Ministry of Youth Development.
10. MSD. "Youth Parliament – MYD". MSD.
11. MSD. "Youth Parliament 2016 Roll-out – MYD". MSD.
12. "Youth Parliament 2019 – New Zealand Parliament".
13. (2 August 2021). "Introducing 2022 Youth Parliament!". New Zealand Parliament.
14. (18 November 2024). "Youth Parliament 2025 announced". New Zealand Government.
15. (9 July 2007). "Speaker's Reception, Youth Parliament 2007".
16. (July 2007). "Opening of the 2007 Youth Parliament".
17. Trevett, Claire. (24 March 2011). "Hughes sought career in politics from early age". [[The New Zealand Herald]].
18. (15 July 2013). "Youth Parliament 2013 on this week".
19. (2010). "Becoming a Youth Member of Parliament (Youth MP)".
20. (16 May 2013). "Youth Parliament MPs announced".
21. Kaye, Nikki. (11 February 2013). "Selection Process underway for Youth Parliament 2013".
22. (17 July 2013). "New Zealand Youth Parliament 2013 Hansard".
23. (19 September 1994). "NZ Youth Parliament Hansard".
24. "Parliamentary Youth MPs".
25. "Fourth Youth Parliament, 2004".
26. List, Kevin. (17 August 2004). "The 2004 Youth Parliament – Photo Essay". Scoop.co.nz.
27. (16 August 2004). "Youth Parliament: NZ politics in good heart". Scoop.co.nz.
28. "Youth MPs full list".
29. (7 July 2010). "New Zealand Youth Parliament 2010 Hansard".
30. "Youth Parliament 2010 Programme".
31. "Youth Parliament 2013".
32. "Youth Parliament 2016 – Youth MPs and Youth Press Gallery members – MYD".
33. Dixon, Sophie. (18 July 2019). "Youth Parliament 2019 declares climate emergency".
34. (17 July 2019). "General Debate Speech Shaneel Shavneel Lal Youth Parliament 2019".
35. Cheng, Derek. (17 July 2019). "Anne Tolley apologises to Youth MP and Speaker Trevor Mallard". [[New Zealand Herald]].
36. Walls, Jason. (22 August 2019). "Group of teenagers, including Youth MPs, booted from Parliament after protest". [[New Zealand Herald]].
37. (15 May 2019). "Youth Parliament MPs 2019". New Zealand Parliament.
38. (13 December 2021). "Meet our Youth Parliament 2022 participants". New Zealand Parliament.
39. Hunt, Tom. (26 November 2022). "Caeden Tipler makes their own history with Make It 16". Stuff.
40. (1 July 2025). "Youth MPs claim censorship over Govt criticism in speeches". [[1News]].
41. (1 July 2025). "Youth MPs accuse government of 'censoring' them, ministry says otherwise". [[RNZ]].
42. (2 July 2025). "WATCH: Were they censored? Youth MPs clash on the steps of Parliament". Stuff.
43. (1 May 2025). "Announcing the awesome 2025 Youth Parliament 2025 participants!". Ministry of Youth Development.