Indigenous youth leaders have their say in Parliament

Nearly 40 young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will converge on Parliament House today to participate in the annual Eric Deeral Indigenous Youth Parliament.

Minister for Youth Shannon Fentiman said the Youth Parliament enabled young Indigenous people to get a taste of decision-making by performing the role of a Member of Parliament for a day.

“Participants are all allocated an electorate after voting in a Youth Premier and Youth Opposition Leader,” Ms Fentiman said.

“Taking part in the mock legislative debate gives the participants first-hand experience of our democracy in action as they debate for or against a proposed Bill. This includes the opportunity to bring an issue of importance to themselves and/or their community to the attention of elected Members of Parliament.

“It’s a wonderful way to give the participants a first-hand experience of Queensland’s democratic processes.”

The Youth Parliament is named after Eric Deeral,  Queensland’s first Indigenous Member of Parliament. It also forms part of the 2015 Queensland Indigenous Youth Leadership Program (QIYLP) – designed to develop the leadership and advocacy skills of Indigenous Queenslanders aged 18-25 years.

Ms Fentiman said the program, which has been running all week, included a series of workshops, including speech writing, public speaking and parliamentary processes, that help prepare the participants for the Eric Deeral Indigenous Youth Parliament.

“The QIYLP is now in its 11^th year and has assisted more than 350 Indigenous young people to develop their leadership skills,” she said.

The program is a major initiative of the Queensland Indigenous Youth Leadership Strategy and is delivered by the Queensland Government in partnership with Queensland Parliament and Glencore Coal.

For more information visit www.qld.gov.au/atsi/education-training/indigenous-youth-leadership-program/

 Media Contact:         Alex Purnell -  0437 336 232