Young leaders have their say at NSW Parliament roadshow

Students from across the Mid North Coast had the chance to engage directly with state politicians and government officials at the third annual NSW Parliament Regional Roadshow held recently in Macksville. 

The event brought together 24 senior students for a public speaking competition and 47 student leaders for a youth forum to discuss the issues affecting their communities.

Sienna McGinty, from Toormina High School, won the speaking competition with her address titled “Tick, Tick… Boom!”, which impressed adjudicator and President of the Legislative Council, Ben Franklin MLC.

“She painted one of the most vivid, thoughtful, and enduring word-pictures I have heard – that will stay with me for a long time,” Mr Franklin said.

Ms McGinty will now compete in the State Final at Parliament House in December.

Ruby Almond from Manning Valley Anglican College and Hunter Davis from MacKillop College were joint runners-up, speaking on “Unread” and “The Edges” respectively.

The Youth Forum gave students the opportunity to raise issues directly with Members of Parliament and senior government figures on issues including the cost of living, mental health, housing affordability, inclusion, and access to higher education.

“One of the best parts of this program is that those young people are able to talk directly to Members of Parliament,” Mr Franklin said.

“To give us their views. To advocate for the world they want to see in the future. That’s what they did today, and they were incredibly successful.”

Mannat Dhariwal, a student from Coffs Harbour Senior College, said it was encouraging to see Parliamentarians willing to listen and “hear these opinions in an era of autocracy”.

“I think people know what the issues are in a lot of cases, and I think we know what needs to be done. It is just a matter of using our democratic power and our grassroots opposition to get those things done. I think this is definitely a mechanism of that,” Ms Dhariwal said.

Ashton Angus, also a student at Coffs Harbour Senior College, made a speech about taxing mega-corporations and how that could lower the cost of living.

“It was one of the best community conversations I have ever been a part of.,” Mr Angus said.

“They allowed students to talk about what they really felt, even if it was controversial or contradicted the government’s opinions, and that was amazing.”

Harper Dent, a student from Coffs Harbour Senior College, said the event offered a genuine dialogue between young people and politicians.

“I really enjoyed the transparency. I thought it was really nice to not just be able to give our opinions but hear back from actual politicians and hear what they have to say as well,” Ms Dent said.