Year 11 Student Isabella Lemma - National Youth Parliament
As I’m sure most of you know, I was the selected representative for the inaugural National Youth Parliament 2026 as the Youth Member for Nicholls, the great electorate we all reside in today. Alongside 149 other Youth Members, drawn from all corners of the nation, we spent 5 days in and out of Parliament House and the Museum of Australian Democracy (Old Parliament House). Together, we debated on two bills, which were:
The Artificial Intelligence (Transparency, Education and Safety) Bill 2026
Intergenerational Fairness Commissioner Bill 2026
And I also spoke on an electoral matter, referred to as an Adjournment Speech.
Not to mention the chair of our Parliament was Tony Smith, the 30th Speaker of the House from 2015-2021!
The debates went over two days, and I raised the concern of the Toolamba bridge with the Intergenerational Fairness Commissioner bridge, and how a Commissioner would be able to deliver the resources and hear the needs that farmers in a region are calling for. I spoke on how milk tankers coming from over the river would take half the time to reach towns like Toolamba if the bridge was in sufficient condition. And the chamber’s response: “Hear hear!”
In my adjournment speech, I raised the issue of medical misogyny. Unfortunately, I ran out of time to finish, but I 100% got the point across, and was able to quote Julia Gillard. I discussed how women’s medical concerns are stereotyped, misdiagnosed, and simply ignored, and that there are a number of women here in Nicholls who have dealt with the misogyny themselves. And again, “hear hear!”.
Apart from the debates, the National Youth Parliament was truly an experience like no other. Monday the 17th was the official opening ceremony of the Parliament. We all got to stand under the Australian flag, the same size as the one that flies, and were officially announced by Her Excellency the Governor General Sam Mostyn and The Speaker of the House Milton Dick. Cameras were in corners, MPs surrounded and, most importantly, the 150 Youth Members were officially the members of the inaugural National Youth Parliament.
The experience was monumentally life changing. Everyone I met had their own perspectives on issues and sincerely cared about our future generations. The stories I heard were simply remarkable - their journeys through politics and the active change they’re currently making. The program inevitably inspired me, inspired me to push myself to make change, to be the difference and to bring those ideas to the table. Because it isn’t everyday you’re selected to debate, collaborate, and present on the big stage.
Isabella Lemma.
