Watch out Jonathan O'Dea! Davidson has five new youth representatives in NSW state politics this year with local Knox Grammar School students, Lachlan Auer, Thomas Goldie and Kevin Kim, Freshwater Senior Campus student, Corinne Caston-Matthews and Abbotsleigh student, Evangeline Woodforde selected for the YMCA NSW Youth Parliament 2011.
The Davidson Youth Parliamentarians are five of only 110 individuals selected state wide to take part in this prestigious program that provides young people between the ages of 15 and 18 with the opportunity to voice their opinions on issues that are important to them and their local communities. This year will mark the 10th year anniversary of the YMCA NSW Youth Parliament, an apolitical program, and is expected to be the biggest and best yet!
The program received well over 140 applications from across NSW with 110 young people selected, representing 70 electorates from both metropolitan and regional areas.
Member for Davidson, Jonathan O'Dea, is delighted that his younger constituents will be represented in the NSW Parliament later this year.
“It’s fantastic to see such enthusiasm from local Davidson youth. I have no doubt that Lachlan, Thomas, Kevin, Corinne and Evangeline will do Davidson proud," Mr O'Dea said.
"All Davidson Youth Parliamentarians are ready to represent Davidson and take on fellow youth MPs in the Bear Pit of NSW Parliament House," he said.
The youth MPs have been divided into committees to create bills on important issues within their portfolio. There are ten committees, representing the most important and topical issues facing the state, including Transport, Infrastructure and Planning, Youth Affairs, Education and Training, Health and Medical Research and Ethnic Affairs and Citizenship.
Once bills have been finalised, the YMCA NSW Youth Parliament will convene for a week in July. Youth Parliamentarians will debate their bills in NSW Parliament House where the bill will be presided by a NSW Member of Parliament. At the end of the week, passed bills are presented to representatives from both the Government and Opposition.
The Youth Parliamentarians encourage local young people to contact them through the YMCA’s Youth Parliament Coordinator, if they have issues they believe should be raised.
