BATEMANS Bay High school student Mary Tilyou recently took part in the YMCA Youth Parliament in Canberra.
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The initiative is designed to actively involve students between years 8 and 12 in the political process.
Mock bills and legislation are drafted in the Youth Parliament, and Mary said that it’s not just for show.
“We drafted bills and debated them in Parliament,” she said.
“At the conclusion of the program, the bills we legislated were actually passed on to Parliament.
“Twelve bills from the YMCA Youth Parliament have gone on to be drafted into legislation by the actual government which is a great achievement.”
Having recently emigrated from the USA, Mary said she instantly took an interest in the Australian political scene, and was keen to learn as much as she could.
“I emigrated from America one-and-a-half years ago and had an interest in Australian Parliament and was eager to learn more,” she said.
“The experiences offered by YMCA youth parliament seemed like a great way to do that.”
Mary is also passionate about the environment, and utilised her passion while at the Youth Parliament as part of the legislative committee investigating environment and heritage.
“I am passionate about the environment and want to work out how environmental issues can be incorporated into politics,” she said.
While Mary said she enjoyed the experience, she admitted that there were many young people who felt disenfranchised with politics and the current government.
“It’s in my experience that there is a sense of apathy amongst the youth about politics,” Mary said.
“I think that it comes from a stigma that young people can’t do anything about politics, that it’s controlled by older people.”