7TH COMMONWEALTH YOUTH PARLIAMENT
Government’s deliberations, the views and long-term interests of Indigenous people will be a key consideration. Progress will be made in the key areas of law and order, the economy, business, education, and health, but this is only the beginning. My government understands the pressure young people are under from the high cost of living and the high cost of housing. My government will introduce an innovative approach to secure meaningful employment opportunities. In order to achieve these goals my Government will introduce legislation which will implement a Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities in this jurisdiction for the first time. The Charter will be underpinned by legislation which shall require consideration of measures to ensure the wellbeing of youth and the preservation of dignity. My Government will work to reduce and eventually eliminate discrimination which impacts upon participation in work, sport, social and community life and access to services by our citizens…In conclusion, honourable members, you have been tasked over the next four days to deliver by representing the best interests of all. I charge
you to take on this challenge and discharge your accountabilities transparently, honestly, and with integrity. Speaker and honourable members, I wish you well over the next four days and will now leave you to your important deliberations.” Prior to their arrival in Darwin, the youth parliamentarians had self-nominated to be either in the Conservative Party, the Progressive Party or to be independent members. On the basis of their nominations, the Parliament commenced with a Conservative Government with 24 members, a Progressive Party Opposition with 22 members and 4 independent members.
Day one was a day of settling in and a few nerves for some of the Youth Parliamentarians, but these were soon overcome as the day progressed and immediately after the Speech from the Throne the Assembly adjourned in order to undertake further information and education workshops to prepare for day two.
This first full day of CYP7 events was followed by a welcome from the Leader of Government Business in the Northern Territory Legislative
Assembly, Hon. John Elferink MLA, on behalf of the Northern Territory Government which was held at a local venue called Crocosaurus Cove where youth parliamentarians got up close and personal with live local estuarine (saltwater) and freshwater crocodiles.
Day Two: Mentors and Youth Parliamentarians at Work Day two commenced with a session on the operation of Committees followed by a Scrutiny Committee hearing into the Charter of Human Rights Bill which was being proposed in the Assembly for debate and passage.
The Bill had been drafted by the Northern Territory Parliamentary Counsel on instruction that it have some aspects which might lead to questions and accommodate amendments being moved and encourage broad debate on the policy proposal underpinning the Bill. The intent was to have these matters focused on in the Committee hearings and this eventuated.
Youth committee members convened in the Assembly’s committee rooms and examined witnesses who my parliamentary
Above: Participants, mentors and resource people for the 7th
Commonwealth Youth Parliament at the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory, Australia.
officers had sourced from the Darwin professional community to comment on the proposed legislation.
A senior lecturer in law and specialist in human rights from Charles Darwin University, Mr Jeswyn Yogaratnum sharply critiqued the legislation as being inadequate. A senior policy officer from the Department of Attorney General and Justice, Ms Ros Chenowith provided a detailed policy briefing on the drafting and content and how the draft Bill was designed to meet the Government’s intentions. Two experienced solicitors, Ms Emma Farnell and Mr Dominic Gomez from Ward Kellar lawyers, one of Darwin’s large law firms, provided input from the point of view of local legal practitioners.
The Law Society of the Northern Territory provided welcome assistance to my officers identifying and sourcing these witnesses and the value they added to the committee
The Parliamentarian | 2016: Issue One | 53
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92
