Youth Parliament Must Honour Rangatahi Voices
Several youth MPs will meet Press on the steps of Parliament House at 1:15pm on Tuesday, 1 July to share their experiences and feelings on the censorship of rangatahi voices during this year's Youth Parliament.
Multiple decisions made around this year's Youth Parliament have led to an environment that fundamentally undermines what is meant to be a space for young people to speak freely and confidently on the issues that shape their lives.
This year:
Live-streaming of Youth MP speeches has been cancelled.
Lived Experience Groups, which previously allowed Youth MPs from minority communities to offer policy advice, have been removed.
Youth MPs have been told they cannot clap, cannot walk out, and that all speeches must be reviewed before delivery.
Youth MPs have also been told not to speak on key political issues like pay equity, voting rights, climate action and financial literacy, with parts of their speeches removed because these topics are supposedly 'too political.'
'Youth Parliament is meant to give young people a voice. But how can we speak up if we're told what we're allowed to say?' says Thomas Brocherie, Co-Director of Make It 16 and Youth MP for Lan Pham.
'Young people are constantly told to care, to participate, to raise our voices. But when we do, we're told to edit them. If Youth Parliament only allows voices that are comfortable for adults to hear, it's not youth voice at all. It's a performance,' says Ruby Love-Smith, Youth MP for Dr Tracey McLellan.
"This isn't an attack on parties or politicians. It's a call for something deeper: real youth representation that isn't filtered or stage-managed. If rangatahi can't talk about our right to vote or the issues that affect us most in a space designed to elevate youth voice then what message does that send?' says Lincoln Jones, Make It 16 member and Youth MP for Willie Jackson (Labour Party).
The feedback Youth MPs received after submitting speeches was often couched in positive language, encouraging them to 'consider' edits. But this framing misses the power dynamic at play wherein young people felt pressured to comply, afraid speaking honestly would create 'problems' or risk being excluded.
'We've been told to soften our language, drop key parts of our speeches, and avoid criticising certain ministers, as speaking out could 'cause problems.' That isn't guidance, it's control.' says Nate Wilbourne, Gen-Z Aotearoa founder and spokesperson, Youth MP for Damien O'Connor.
We believe MYD has failed to uphold the kaupapa of Youth Parliament, a space that should respect rangatahi as capable of holding and voicing their own views on real issues that affect our lives, rights, and futures.
Instead of leading by example, MYD is setting a dangerous precedent for youth engagement where youth voice is managed, not valued. These actions reflect a wider pattern of tokenism and disclusion that continues to disempower young people across Aotearoa.
We stand in solidarity with the Youth MPs who've been sidelined and silenced. Their courage deserves to be heard. We call on Parliament and MYD to reflect on this moment and do better.
We demand future Youth Parliaments:
Restore livestreams and full public transparency.
Reinstate Lived Experience Groups to reflect diverse voices.
End speech interference and stop framing political awareness as political bias.
Centre youth-led processes and accountability in the event's design and delivery.
This is not just about Youth Parliament. It's about the wider issue of systemic exclusion. Rangatahi deserve to be respected as capable of holding and voicing their own views on real issues affecting our lives, rights, and futures. Young people are not here to perform — we are here to participate.
This statement is co-released by:
Make It 16
Gen Z Aotearoa
SchoolStrike4Climate
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
1News
24 minutes ago
- 1News
Email to Youth MPs 'could have been clearer'
The Ministry of Youth Development has acknowledged the way it communicated with Youth MPs about changes to their speeches could have been clearer. Youth MPs representing coalition parties' MPs have also pushed back on the accusations of censorship from their peers. About half of the young people invited to learn how Parliament works by emulating the job of MPs were asked to remove parts of their speeches mentioning government policies, including pay equity and the Treaty Principles Bill. Some decried this as "censorship". In a statement, Ministry of Youth Development general manager John Robertson said it was long-standing practice to review Youth MPs' general debate speeches and suggest changes. ADVERTISEMENT "We've looked through our correspondence and acknowledge we could have been clearer and more consistent in our language. The e-mail headers said 'General Debate Speech feedback – changes required' and the content of our emails went on to explain our feedback was just 'recommendations'. "We accept that this could have caused confusion." Since the accusations of censorship, the ministry has underlined that it was up to the Youth MPs what their speeches would contain and "we fully respect your right to shape your speech in the way that feels right to you". Some of the Youth MPs have done just that – vowing to deliver their speeches without the suggested edits. Robertson confirmed members of the Youth Press Gallery – assigned to emulate political reporters – also had their work checked by the ministry before being it could be distributed more widely. He said the Youth Parliament was intended to be non-partisan, and this was explained to participants from the start of their induction. "Both general debate speeches and youth press gallery contributions are moderated, and we may suggest changes. This is a long-standing practice with Youth Parliament." ADVERTISEMENT He reiterated the ministry's guidance was intended to ensure articles and speeches remained focused on policy rather than party, did not breach defamation, copyright, privacy, or contempt of court laws, followed principles of no naming, no blaming, no shaming, and made no false assertions or claims not backed by fact. Some Youth MPs push back on claims of censorship Today, Youth MPs representing MPs from New Zealand First, National, and ACT held a press conference of their own, accusing campaigners for Make it 16 of hijacking Youth Parliament for their own politicking. "They knew the entire time they could do their speech. They're just stirring this whole thing up because they came here with an agenda," said Jerry Wei, Youth MP for Karen Chhour. He dismissed concerns the speeches had been censored. Bryn Pierce, Youth MP for Andy Foster, said some speeches that other Youth MPs disagreed with were disrupted by walk-outs or repeated points of order. "That is not an environment where Youth MPs can truly feel safe to share their voice," he said. ADVERTISEMENT The press conference ended up being joined by other Youth MPs, keen to debate each other on Parliament's steps. Benjamin Kingsford, Youth MP for Jan Tinetti, said it was a shame the debate about censorship was being reported on instead of the content of the speeches. "We've had amazing speeches about mental health, about sexual abuse, about the environment, about the economy, about all of these issues that actually matter to New Zealanders." He said the Youth MPs should acknowledge other people's opinions, and move forward together. Elite Reti, Peeni Henare's Youth MP, said he hoped young people would continue to have their say. "I think the main message on this Youth Parliament is that we have opinions. We're all going to disagree on certain things. Maybe we'll agree on other things, some fundamental things," he said.
1News
9 hours ago
- 1News
Youth MPs claim censorship over Govt criticism in speeches
Some Youth MPs say their speeches are being censored if they are critical of the Government, but the Ministry for Youth Development says edits are part of normal protocol. Today is the first day of Youth Parliament 2025, an event that happens every three years. It involves every MP selecting a Youth MP to represent their spot in the House. But some Youth MPs allege they are unable to say what they think about topics currently discussed in Parliament, including the Treaty Principles Bill, changes to the pay equity system, voting rights and climate action. 'We've been told to soften our language, to drop key parts of our speeches and to avoid criticising certain ministers or policies. This isn't guidance, this is fear-based control,' Youth MP Nate Wilbourne told Re: News. Some Youth MPs say they're being censored if they are critical of the Government. (Source: Re: News) ADVERTISEMENT Eighty of the 123 Youth MPs chosen for this year's Youth Parliament were given the opportunity to deliver a speech in the Parliamentary chamber. The Ministry of Youth Development, which is responsible for running the event, said around half of those speakers were given feedback and suggested changes to their speeches. But Youth MP Thomas Brocherie, who is also the co-director of Make It 16, a group campaigning for the voting age to be lowered to 16, said all the speakers received an email from MYD with the subject line 'changes required'. He said this felt like 'blatant editing'. The Youth Parliament event is non-partisan, which means it is not aligned with or opposing any party in Government. Allegations of editing A previous sitting of the Youth Parliament. (Source: NZ Business & Parliament Trust) ADVERTISEMENT Nate Wilbourne, who founded youth organisation Gen Z Aotearoa, said his speech is about the 'war on nature' in which he wanted to call out Ministers Shane Jones, Tama Potaka and Penny Simmonds for their 'assault on te taiao'. He said when he submitted his speech to MYD, it was edited and he was told it 'lacks political neutrality'. 'In any functioning democracy, critique is not only allowed, it is essential. 'When your voices are edited to remove criticism, when ministers are shielded from being named, when we're told that our lived experiences are too political, that is not neutrality – that is protection of the status quo.' Youth MP Sam Allen said their speech included criticism of the Government's Pay Equity Amendment Bill. They said they received suggested edits from MYD on their speech but only some were explained. The line 'I have no idea where you find the audacity to label yourself as a progressive while campaigning for votes, and then cowardly march forward to cut women's pay for our most vulnerable workers' was cut without an explanation, Allen said. The group of Youth MPs also claim a speech about poverty was called 'too anti-rich" and a speech about freedom of speech was also edited. ADVERTISEMENT MYD says it's following protocol MYD general manager John Robertson said the feedback protocol for speeches has been in place since the last Youth Parliament in 2022. 'Our advice was generally focused on supporting them to convey their arguments clearly and effectively, and in keeping with the non-partisan approach of Youth Parliament.' He added: 'We also advised some Youth MPs that changes were required to their speeches to avoid putting themselves at risk.' "Youth MPs are not protected by Parliamentary privilege. This means young people could be held liable if the contents of their speech raise concerns around defamation, copyright, privacy, contempt of court, or broadcasting standards." Youth Minister James Meager said: 'We do not censor the speeches of Youth MPs.' James Meager (Source: Getty) ADVERTISEMENT 'We have been clear to all Youth MPs that they make the final decision about the content of their speech.' But the group of Youth MPs who have spoken out said MYD is in a position of power so young people feel pressured to comply with its suggestions. Meager said he's enjoyed the debates so far, which have been challenging to Government policy, and hasn't seen anything which concerns him in terms of censorship. Labour leader Chris Hipkins told Re: News 'the whole point of Youth Parliament is to give young people, who are often massively underheard, the chance to speak up". 'Asking them to censor their views just because they're critical of the Government is completely out of step with that spirit." Youth Parliament won't be livestreamed this year File image of the steps outside Parliament (Source: 1News) ADVERTISEMENT The past two Youth Parliaments have been fully livestreamed, but this year's is not. MYD said this was due to resource constraints, and that parts will be recorded and shared with the Youth MPs after the event has ended. Youth MP Lincoln Jones said he remembers speeches from previous Youth Parliaments which have been controversial and thinks the lack of live streaming this year is to 'ensure that speeches that don't fit the narrative of this government are not getting out to the general public'. Thomas Brocherie remembers watching Youth Parliament live when he was younger. 'No 14-year-old is going to have that same excited feeling I did because they literally cannot see it,' he said. Youth MPs say they're no longer feeling excited about Youth Parliament While Meager said everyone is 'thoroughly enjoying' Youth Parliament, some Youth MPs said their excitement for the event has now fizzled out. Brocherie said it's 'sad and disheartening' to see Youth Parliament being 'used wrongly' and that his perspective on Youth Parliament has been changed as a whole. Allen said 'people have gone from what should be a really exciting event just feeling quite scared' that they might get into trouble for what they chose to say.
RNZ News
12 hours ago
- RNZ News
E-mail to Youth MPs 'could have been clearer'
About half of the young people invited to learn how Parliament works were asked to remove parts of their speeches mentioning government policies. Photo: RNZ /Dom Thomas The Ministry of Youth Development has acknowledged the way it communicated with Youth MPs about changes to their speeches could have been clearer. Youth MPs representing coalition parties' MPs have also pushed back on the accusations of censorship from their peers. About half of the young people invited to learn how Parliament works by emulating the job of MPs were asked to remove parts of their speeches mentioning government policies, including pay equity and the Treaty Principles Bill. Some decried this as "censorship" . In a statement, Ministry of Youth Development general manager John Robertson said it was long-standing practice to review Youth MPs' general debate speeches and suggest changes. "We've looked through our correspondence and acknowledge we could have been clearer and more consistent in our language. The e-mail headers said 'General Debate Speech feedback - changes required' and the content of our e-mails went on to explain our feedback was just 'recommendations'. "We accept that this could have caused confusion." Since the accusations of censorship, the ministry has underlined that it was up to the Youth MPs what their speeches would contain and "we fully respect your right to shape your speech in the way that feels right to you". Some of the Youth MPs have done just that - vowing to deliver their speeches without the suggested edits. Robertson confirmed members of the Youth Press Gallery - assigned to emulate political reporters - also had their work checked by the ministry before being it could be distributed more widely. He said the Youth Parliament was intended to be non-partisan, and this was explained to participants from the start of their induction. "Both general debate speeches and youth press gallery contributions are moderated, and we may suggest changes. This is a long-standing practice with Youth Parliament." He reiterated the ministry's guidance was intended to ensure articles and speeches remained focused on policy rather than party, did not breach defamation, copyright, privacy, or contempt of court laws, followed principles of no naming, no blaming, no shaming, and made no false assertions or claims not backed by fact. On Wednesday, Youth MPs representing MPs from New Zealand First, National, and ACT held a press conference of their own, accusing campaigners for Make it 16 of hijacking Youth Parliament for their own politicking. "They knew the entire time they could do their speech. They're just stirring this whole thing up because they came here with an agenda," said Jerry Wei, Youth MP for Karen Chhour. He dismissed concerns the speeches had been censored. Bryn Pierce, Youth MP for Andy Foster, said some speeches that other Youth MPs disagreed with were disrupted by walk-outs or repeated points of order. "That is not an environment where Youth MPs can truly feel safe to share their voice," he said. The press conference ended up being joined by other Youth MPs, keen to debate each other on Parliament's steps. Benjamin Kingsford, Youth MP for Jan Tinetti, said it was a shame the debate about censorship was being reported on instead of the content of the speeches. "We've had amazing speeches about mental health, about sexual abuse, about the environment, about the economy, about all of these issues that actually matter to New Zealanders." He said the Youth MPs should acknowledge other people's opinions, and move forward together. Elite Reti, Peeni Henare's Youth MP, said he hoped young people would continue to have their say. "I think the main message on this Youth Parliament is that we have opinions. We're all going to disagree on certain things. Maybe we'll agree on other things, some fundamental things," he said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
