Latest news with #YouthParliament
The Spinoff
4 hours ago
- Politics
- The Spinoff
A youth MP's powerful speech called out the chronic underfunding of kura kaupapa Māori
Amid the noise around claims of censorship at Youth Parliament, Hana Davis delivered a searing critique of systemic inequity in Māori-medium education – and a rallying cry for justice in kura kaupapa Māori. Korus MacDonald reports. Youth parliament is a triennial event that provides a platform for passionate rangatahi with a flair for politics to advocate for and amplify the voices of their respective communities. The programme – which took place earlier this month – culminates in a three-day event at parliament in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. An inherent value of the event is its ability to broadcast a breadth of perspectives in a supportive manner, and the general debate speeches delivered by the youth representatives clearly demonstrated this nuance and diversity. Amid the 80 general debate speeches delivered at this year's event – spanning topics like mental health and a need for stronger civic and financial education to censorship – one cut through, exposing a growing concern for the future of kura kaupapa Māori under the status quo. While a number of speeches were made on the education system, the difficulties kura kaupapa Māori currently face were largely absent from the debating chamber – until the speech given by Hana Davis, chosen by Te Pāti Māori MP Tākuta Ferris to represent Te Tai Tonga. 'Kura kaupapa Māori aho matua are more than just schools,' Davis said. 'They are the living expression of our right as Māori to educate our tamariki in our own language and according to our own worldview – a right that is guaranteed under te Tiriti o Waitangi.' Of the approximately 204,000 Māori school students recorded in Aotearoa in 2022, one in eight, or around 12%, are enrolled in Māori-medium education. That's 24,500 students spread across 344 kura across the motu. Within this group, 30% or around 7,200 students attend one of the 70 kura kaupapa Māori across the country, including Davis (with most of the remaining 70% in rūmaki reo/immersion or reo rua/bilingual units at English-medium schools). Data from the Ministry of Education shows that enrolments in Māori-medium education have risen from 22,391 in 2020 to 27,125 in 2024 – a 20% increase over the course of four years and a clear indication of the support and demand for Māori-medium education and kura kaupapa. Yet, despite the funding inequities kura kaupapa Māori face, they continue to deliver academic excellence on the national stage. As Davis put it: 'What is often overlooked is that kura kaupapa Māori students are already excelling, consistently achieving higher NCEA pass rates than Māori in mainstream schools.' A report by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority shows that in 2023, there were 1,857 Year 11-13 students enrolled within Māori-medium education. A total of 1,005 of those students were from kura kaupapa Māori aho matua. These students had NCEA attainment rates of 63% at Level 1, 72% at Level 2, and 73% at Level 3. Attainment rates for all students in comparable mainstream schools were 54%, 66%, and 61%, respectively. The success of kura kaupapa is no accident. Speaking to me, Davis credited the success to te aho matua and the environment it fosters for rangatahi. Te aho matua is the philosophical foundation that makes kura kaupapa Māori fundamentally different from mainstream schools. In such an environment, students are immersed entirely in te reo Māori and enveloped in a value-based education system, encouraging the championing of values such as tikanga, whakapapa and cultural connections. 'Kids in [kura kaupapa Māori] aho matua schools grow up together, go to kōhanga together and they stay in the same classes at the same school their whole lives,' explained Davis. 'It's a big, family-like community and an amazing support system. Kura kaupapa Māori students are in tune with their whakapapa and the ways of their people. They have their sense of identity and a place to belong, which is so vital for a kid.' Davis's speech highlights a pivotal time for kura kaupapa Māori. With enrolment surging and academic results consistently strong, these schools illustrate the success of kura kaupapa for Māori students. However, the inequities they face undermine this success. 'Kura kaupapa Māori are forced to operate with stretched resources in overcrowded, poorly conditioned and sometimes hazardous buildings, leaving the mātua of students to fundraise for basic resources,' Davis said. This is in stark contrast to Davis's experiences with mainstream schools. 'It always baffled me walking into other mainstream schools with my fellow kaupapa Māori kids, and our first thought was 'this is so fancy', and it's simply because the school is not falling apart,' Davis told me. Her concern reflects a legacy of neglect and mistreatment by the government and formally recognised by the Waitangi Tribunal. In October of 2021, an urgent claim was lodged by Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori, the representative body for kura kaupapa Māori. The ruling of the claim, referred to as WAI 1718, was released last year and found the government was in breach of its Treaty obligations for failing to implement policy that addressed the needs of kura kaupapa, including equitable funding. Additionally, the tribunal found that there was no consultation with Te Rūnanga Nui on policies affecting kura kaupapa, constituting Treaty obligation breaches. While there has been a recent investment of $100 million in Māori-medium education, Davis highlighted the discrepancies in funding with mainstream counterparts. 'That same amount is being shared across all kura.' In fact, of this year's $2.5 billion budget for education, only $104m was set aside for Māori-medium-related projects ($36.1m of which was reprioritised from the disestablishment of the Wharekura Expert Teachers programme and other initiatives). That's less than 5% of the total educational budget. Infrastructure, foundational to any education, was assigned $50m of that $104m, and the minister of education, Erica Stanford, later announced a further $100m investment, including $60m in 'ring-fenced' property funding. The current $110m allocated for infrastructure expenses is far short of the annual funding Te Rūnanga Nui believes should be dedicated to the infrastructure funding of kura kaupapa Māori. The group recently called on the government to implement a long-term, ring-fenced investment plan of $1.25bn over five years – $250m annually – dedicated to kura kaupapa Māori property development. Despite representing around 3-4% of the total student population, kura kaupapa Māori received less than 3% of the Ministry of Education's property budget between 2021 and 2025, according to Te Rūnanga Nui. That means just 70 kura, serving more than 7,000 students, have been operating in what the Waitangi Tribunal has called a chronically underfunded system. Over the same five-year period, only $680m – about 4% of the total $15.3bn education budget – was allocated to Māori-medium education overall. The Crown has acknowledged these learners have historically operated at an unfair funding deficit, even after a 50% equity boost in 2022. In response to Te Rūnanga Nui's concerns, Stanford emphasised that she wished there was more money, but 'we were living in a constrained environment'. Davis doesn't buy that. 'This is while three individual mainstream high schools are each receiving $100m. Let's be clear, that is triple the amount given to every Māori-medium kura in the country combined,' she says during her speech. Wellington Girls' College is set to receive approximately $100m in investment for the construction of a new two-storey building, school hall and earthquake strengthening in multiple areas of the school. Likewise, two high schools in the Selwyn District – Rolleston and Ellesmere College – are set to collectively receive over $100m for campus upgrades. Davis argues that this shouldn't be about equality, but equity. 'Every learner deserves a safe, well-resourced environment, but it does raise a fair question: are we ensuring that support is being distributed in a way that reflects the success, value and specific needs of all parts of the education system?' Davis asked during her speech. Concluding, Davis delivered a passionate call to action: 'Mr Speaker, our kura deserve safe buildings, properly resourced teachers, and a system that recognises the value they bring to our country. Let's make sure that kura kaupapa Māori are not only included in national conversation but are prioritised in national action.'
Scoop
7 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
The Value Of Youth MPs Put Under A Question Mark
Every three years young aspiring politicians flock to the Beehive for the Youth Parliament. Their debates are fiery and passionate, but are they ultimately pointless? A former politician says change is needed to the Youth Parliament system if it's to stay relevant. MP-turned political commentator Peter Dunne says the scheme isn't just "a rag-tag collection of young people coming together for a couple of days to play at being MPs", but if the event is going to be taken seriously, more consistency is required around its processes. That's not the case at the moment, in everything from how the teens are selected to the quality of the mentorship they're getting. The tri-annual event usually passes under the media radar, but this year's event was overshadowed by what a handful of Youth MPs said was censorship of their speeches. Dunne says he could understand the intention behind the message from the Ministry of Youth Development, which asked some students to remove parts of their speeches where they lacked political neutrality, but the issue could have been handled better. In the end, none of the students were stopped from making their speeches, even if they didn't make the changes. Youth Parliament has been held every three years for the past three decades and is described by the government as, "a unique opportunity for young New Zealanders to learn first-hand about our democracy, influence government decision-making, and have their voices heard". In many ways it's like the real thing, with MPs selecting teens to represent them for a couple of days in Parliament where they debate, give speeches and discuss fictional legislation. Dunne says often the young adults outshine the older MPs. "The contrast has usually been between the impeccable behaviour of the youth MPs and the somewhat unruly behaviour of their adult counterparts," he says. The first Youth Parliament was held in 1995 and initially was just a couple of days. Now the programme has expanded, running from April to August and Dunne questions how much teens take out of those extra two months and 29 days. "And more importantly, what weight is attached to that? They've got no formal status in the community, so what role can they play?" he asks. Dunne says much of what the young aspiring politicians learn and do is dependent on the MP they are mentored by. "In some cases they won't do very much, in some cases the MP will work actively with them and assign them a particular project," Dunne says. There also aren't any rules around how MPs select their mentee. Some get applicants to write essays, this year David Seymour held an election, and Dunne says a couple just shoulder tap the kids of a mate. "The time is right to have a proper review into its function and purpose, including the role of the Youth MPs, how they're selected and what are reasonable expectations of them. "Because I think that with a much clearer focus the youth parliament can play a much greater role than it has done to date," Dunne says. Oscar Duffy, representing List MP Melissa Lee became interested in politics last year when his nan was in hospital. "She's a Māori lady and she didn't have the best experience ... so that was a pretty key driver in me being interested in what's going on. "Obviously there's so much tension between Māori and the Crown ... and that affects my family really directly," he says. Duffy agrees that the degree of mentorship varies. He spent substantial time working on projects in his community and in Lee's Mount Albert office but says others didn't have the same experience. "[Ministers] have no time right? Ministers are so busy, I roomed with Simeon Brown's Youth MP and he didn't really see Simeon a lot, if at all," he says. Duffy sees youth parliament as an opportunity for those interested in politics to get an insight into the system. He says everyone attending this year had a keen interest in advocacy and change-making, but he admits that at times some see their role as more important than it is. "There's just a lot of politically charged people in one room. "Putting them all in the same room is great and it gets everyone talking to each other and firing off really good initiatives ... but yeah I guess some of them do think they are a bit more important than they are which is a shame because they probably should be more important and have more of a say," he says. But if he could change one thing Duffy would raise the age bracket because he thinks 16 is too young. "Even just move it up one year, 17-19, so there's more first year uni students who have been through high school, who have seen the whole system," he says. Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here.
Newsroom
7 days ago
- Politics
- Newsroom
Youth MPs – what are they good for?
A former politician says change is needed to the Youth Parliament system if it's to stay relevant. MP-turned political commentator Peter Dunne says the scheme isn't just 'a rag-tag collection of young people coming together for a couple of days to play at being MPs,' but if the event is going to be taken seriously, more consistency is required around its processes. That's not the case at the moment, in everything from how the teens are selected to the quality of the mentorship they're getting. The triennial event usually passes under the media radar, but this year's event was overshadowed by what a handful of youth MPs said was censorship of their speeches. Dunne says he could understand the intention behind the message from the Ministry of Youth Development, which asked some students to remove parts of their speeches where they lacked political neutrality, but the issue could have been handled better. In the end, none of the students were stopped from making their speeches, even if they didn't make the changes. Youth Parliament has been held every three years for the past three decades and is described by the government as, 'a unique opportunity for young New Zealanders to learn first-hand about our democracy, influence government decision-making, and have their voices heard.' In many ways it's like the real thing with MPs selecting teens to represent them for a couple of days in Parliament where they debate, give speeches and discuss fictional legislation. Dunne says often the young adults outshine the older MPs. 'The contrast has usually been between the impeccable behaviour of the youth MPs and the somewhat unruly behaviour of their adult counterparts,' he says. The first Youth Parliament was held in 1995 and initially was just a couple of days. Now the programme has expanded, running from April to August and Dunne questions how much teens take out of those extra two months and 29 days. 'And more importantly, what weight is attached to that? They've got no formal status in the community, so what role can they play?' he asks. Dunne says much of what the young aspiring politicians learn and do is dependent on the MP they are mentored by. 'In some cases they won't do very much, in some cases the MP will work actively with them and assign them a particular project,' Dunne says. There also aren't any rules around how MPs select their mentee. Some get applicants to write essays, this year David Seymour held an election, and Dunne says a couple just shoulder tap the kids of a mate. 'The time is right to have a proper review into its function and purpose, including the role of the youth MPs, how they're selected and what are reasonable expectations of them. 'Because I think that with a much clearer focus the Youth Parliament can play a much greater role than it has done to date,' Dunne says. Oscar Duffy, representing List MP Melissa Lee, became interested in politics last year when his Nan was in hospital. 'She's a Māori lady and she didn't have the best experience … so that was a pretty key driver in me being interested in what's going on. 'Obviously there's so much tension between Māori and the Crown … and that affects my family really directly,' he says. Duffy agrees that the degree of mentorship varies. He spent substantial time working on projects in his community and in Lee's Mount Albert office but says others didn't have the same experience. '[Ministers] have no time right? Ministers are so busy, I roomed with Simeon Brown's youth MP and he didn't really see Simeon a lot, if at all,' he says. Duffy sees Youth Parliament as an opportunity for those interested in politics to get an insight into the system. He says everyone attending this year had a keen interest in advocacy and change making, but he admits that at times some see their role as more important than it is. 'There's just a lot of politically charged people in one room.' If he could change one thing Duffy would raise the age bracket for youth MPs because he thinks 16 is too young. 'Even just move it up one year, 17-19, so there's more first year uni students who have been through high school, who have seen the whole system,' he says. Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here. You can also stay up-to-date by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter.
RNZ News
24-07-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
The value of Youth MPs put under a question mark
Photo: VNP/Louis Collins A former politician says change is needed to the Youth Parliament system if it's to stay relevant. MP-turned political commentator Peter Dunne says the scheme isn't just "a rag-tag collection of young people coming together for a couple of days to play at being MPs", but if the event is going to be taken seriously, more consistency is required around its processes. That's not the case at the moment, in everything from how the teens are selected to the quality of the mentorship they're getting. The tri-annual event usually passes under the media radar, but this year's event was overshadowed by what a handful of Youth MPs said was censorship of their speeches . Dunne says he could understand the intention behind the message from the Ministry of Youth Development, which asked some students to remove parts of their speeches where they lacked political neutrality, but the issue could have been handled better. In the end, none of the students were stopped from making their speeches, even if they didn't make the changes. Youth Parliament has been held every three years for the past three decades and is described by the government as, "a unique opportunity for young New Zealanders to learn first-hand about our democracy, influence government decision-making, and have their voices heard". In many ways it's like the real thing, with MPs selecting teens to represent them for a couple of days in Parliament where they debate, give speeches and discuss fictional legislation. Dunne says often the young adults outshine the older MPs. "The contrast has usually been between the impeccable behaviour of the youth MPs and the somewhat unruly behaviour of their adult counterparts," he says. The first Youth Parliament was held in 1995 and initially was just a couple of days. Now the programme has expanded, running from April to August and Dunne questions how much teens take out of those extra two months and 29 days. "And more importantly, what weight is attached to that? They've got no formal status in the community, so what role can they play?" he asks. Dunne says much of what the young aspiring politicians learn and do is dependent on the MP they are mentored by. "In some cases they won't do very much, in some cases the MP will work actively with them and assign them a particular project," Dunne says. There also aren't any rules around how MPs select their mentee. Some get applicants to write essays, this year David Seymour held an election, and Dunne says a couple just shoulder tap the kids of a mate. "The time is right to have a proper review into its function and purpose, including the role of the Youth MPs, how they're selected and what are reasonable expectations of them. "Because I think that with a much clearer focus the youth parliament can play a much greater role than it has done to date," Dunne says. Oscar Duffy, representing List MP Melissa Lee became interested in politics last year when his nan was in hospital. "She's a Māori lady and she didn't have the best experience ... so that was a pretty key driver in me being interested in what's going on. "Obviously there's so much tension between Māori and the Crown ... and that affects my family really directly," he says. Duffy agrees that the degree of mentorship varies. He spent substantial time working on projects in his community and in Lee's Mount Albert office but says others didn't have the same experience. "[Ministers] have no time right? Ministers are so busy, I roomed with Simeon Brown's Youth MP and he didn't really see Simeon a lot, if at all," he says. Duffy sees youth parliament as an opportunity for those interested in politics to get an insight into the system. He says everyone attending this year had a keen interest in advocacy and change-making, but he admits that at times some see their role as more important than it is. "There's just a lot of politically charged people in one room. "Putting them all in the same room is great and it gets everyone talking to each other and firing off really good initiatives ... but yeah I guess some of them do think they are a bit more important than they are which is a shame because they probably should be more important and have more of a say," he says. But if he could change one thing Duffy would raise the age bracket because he thinks 16 is too young. "Even just move it up one year, 17-19, so there's more first year uni students who have been through high school, who have seen the whole system," he says. Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here . You can also stay up-to-date by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter .
West Australian
22-07-2025
- Business
- West Australian
Newdegate's Trey Westlake speaks on Labor's shortfalls on regional issues at 2025 Y WA Youth Parliament
A budding young leader from Newdegate caught the attention of policymakers when his committee's regional recovery bill passed unanimously at the 2025 Y WA Youth Parliament. It was Trey Westlake's second consecutive year in the Youth Parliament. He stepped up as shadow minister for agriculture, food and fisheries as a member for Roe at the Legislative Assembly in Perth, on July 7-10. The 16-year-old introduced the producer resilience and recovery insurance scheme on behalf of his eight regional committee members. It would establish a State-run insurance scheme to cover damage costs caused by natural disasters for primary producers to claim, which was unanimously passed. As a first-time shadow minister, his ministerial speech highlighted that the recent State Budget dedicated no funding, processing infrastructure support, a workforce transition plan or farmer assistance for the live export transitioning, despite the WA Government stating they disapproved of the ban. Trey's private member statement discussed 'the current Government's lack of meaningful investment' in the Roe electorate, underlining poor phone reception, unreliable power and frequent outages, inadequate road quality, education and health care. 'The people of Roe aren't asking for handouts. They are simply asking for respect, investment and support,' he said. Royalties for Regions, which started in late 2008, drove his adjournment debate. The scheme promised that 25 per cent of WA's mining and resource royalties would be reinvested into regional communities, but Trey said in 2017 the fund had been 'dismantled and reallocated'. He said the royalties are now used to fund programs that would have been paid for by consolidated revenue, 'that's not regional investment, that's a government padding its books to claim a $2 billion surplus'. The Year 11 student said he returned to the program because he was determined for policymakers to hear regional people, shedding light on key issues and perspectives. This year's event recorded one of Youth Parliament's highest regional numbers with 12 of the 59 participants aged 15-25 travelling from outside the metropolitan area. Trey also got the opportunity to deliberate central discussion points with MLA Peter Rundle and three training days on April 26, May 24 and June 21 to learn about committee rules, amendments and a general overview. Mr Rundle said that 'we need good young leaders in our society' and it was important to cater for all generations and connect with the new wave of younger voters. 'I'm really lucky to have someone like Trey who is keen and interested and it's great to have him be part of (Youth Parliament),' he said. 'He's got a very good handle on how people in the regions and agricultural industry feel, and living with his family in the bush and having gone to school in the regions, he understands the challenges as well.'
