- By Botany Youth MP Abby Plom
I had the immense honour of representing the Botany electorate, selected by the Rt Hon Christopher Luxon, at Youth Parliament in Wellington in July.
Youth Parliament is a unique event held every three years where 123 young people from across Aotearoa step into the shoes of MPs, debate important topics, and advocate for their communities on the national stage.
For three unforgettable days, I was surrounded by passionate, driven rangatahi from across the motu – their commitment grounded me in my own purpose.
I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be.
During my time in Parliament, I had the opportunity to speak in the debating chamber about the importance of equity in education, kōrero about how we can better integrate te reo Māori in our communities and bring the voices of those in my electorate to Parliament.
As the Prime Minister’s Youth MP, I was also fortunate to tour the PM’s office and meet the incredible team working hard behind the scenes to help lead Aotearoa.
The entirety of the time, I was just in awe of the passionate rangatahi raising the voices of their communities and offering bold, thoughtful solutions to the challenges we face.
Yet it’s disappointing that most media coverage has centred solely on the issue of censorship.
I commend the Youth MPs, on both sides of that debate, for standing firm in their beliefs.
That’s what democracy is about. But I don’t believe they’re to blame for the way this single narrative has dominated headlines.
What’s been missed is the heart of Youth Parliament: amplifying youth voices.
Instead of highlighting the powerful kōrero around mental health, education, Māori rights, and many other issues shared by my fellow Youth MPs that directly impact our generation, the spotlight has stayed fixed on controversy.
That silence, in itself, is a form of erasure. Youth Parliament is meant to show Aotearoa what young people care about and what we’re capable of.
But when the media tells only one story, it drowns out dozens of others.
Despite any controversy, this has been the most life-changing experience for me.
It opened my eyes to issues I’d never fully grasped before, introduced me to like-minded peers whom I will stay in contact with for years to come, and only deepened my commitment to creating a better future.
More than anything, it reminded me of the strength we carry as rangatahi – strength that’s often underestimated, even by ourselves.
Too often, young people see politics as something distant, intimidating, or irrelevant.
It can feel like it lives behind closed doors in Wellington, spoken in jargon, and made by people we’ve never met, but the truth is, everything is inherently political.
From the water we drink, to the education we receive, to the language we speak.
As people, we’re constantly being shaped by decisions made in Parliament, so it’s paramount we all use our voice, because we all have the experience and responsibility to do so.
