MEDIA STATEMENT
The Maori Party
20 May 2013
Māori Party MPs Select Rangatahi For Youth Parliament 2013
The Māori Party Members of Parliament have selected student representatives from their electorates to participate in
Youth Parliament 2013.
121 Youth MPs from across the country will head to Parliament on 16 and 17 July 2013, where they will learn about
government decision-making processes and share the views of youth with the country’s decision makers. They will have
the unique opportunity to step into the shoes of an MP for two days while they debate legislation, sit on select
committees and ask oral questions of Cabinet Ministers.
“The calibre of the applications we received was very high. It’s really encouraging to see these rangatahi take such an
interest in politics,” said Party Whip Te Ururoa Flavell.
Te Ururoa has selected Kura Waller from Tauranga Girls College.
“What stood out about Kura is that she has an obvious interest in Māori history and is passionate about advocating for
Māori to have an independent voice in the Beehive.”
The Youth Parliament 2013 mock Bill will focus on electoral reform. Youth MPs will debate the merits of reducing the
voting age from 18 to 17 years, electronic voting, compulsory voting and extending the Term of Parliament from three to
four years. There are also ten select committees of inquiry with topics ranging from cage free farming to youth
employment.
Māori Party Co-leader and MP for Te Tai Hauauru Tariana Turia has selected Te Aonui McKenzie as her representative for
Youth Parliament 2013.
Te Aonui McKenzie affiliates to Raukawa and Waikato Tainui and is a first year student studying a Bachelor of Arts at
Victoria University.
“Te Aonui stood out amongst our applicants as a smart, capable young man, raised amongst his tribe and in te reo Māori,”
commented Tariana. “He has represented his school as head boy, was a member of Raukawa Young Leaders group and was a
foundation member of the South Waikato District Youth Council. He is also a member of the Young Māori Party – he has
demonstrated a real interest in politics and the world around him and has strong and well formed views on a range of
issues.”
“Te Aonui will be a great asset to Youth Parliament 2013. I had no hesitation in selecting him to represent the Te Tai
Hauauru electorate.”
“This year there is a particular relevancy to the Youth Parliament, with the Māori Electoral Option running from 25
March to 24 July. In essence, this gives every Māori in Aotearoa the chance to choose whether they want to be on the
Māori Electoral Roll or the general roll, when they vote in the next two General Elections,” champions Te Ururoa. “We
will be looking with fresh eyes at the Māori Youth MPs that have been selected for the Youth Parliament. Who knows – we
may be looking at some ideal candidates for the 2014 Elections!”
Jordan Brown (Ngāti Hine), a year 13 student from Rutherford College in Auckland has been selected by Dr Pita Sharples
as the youth MP for Tāmaki Makaurau.
Dr Sharples said “I was very impressed with this young man who was supported by his kura to put his name forward for the
job. He is a natural leader having taken on many cultural and sporting roles, but what struck me most was his passion
for all things Māori and his desire to make a difference in our communities, particularly in the area of youth
development.”
“It is so important that rangatahi are able to represent their own views on issues and to speak in their own voice about
what matters to them. I am very much looking forward to Jordan representing a new generation here in Parliament.”
“This is a wonderful opportunity for our rangatahi to see and be part of the 50th Parliament, and we look forward to
working closely with our students as they prepare for their time in Wellington.”
ENDS