The average age of representatives in the Parliament of Australia is 52. This means a generational gap between elected officials and young people who are between the ages of 15-30 years old. This group of elected officials make decisions that will have impact for decades to come.
Every day young people are engaging with political issues in Australia. However, they are disconnected from formal political institutions. How might we include young people more in the decision-making that matters in their lives?
Connecting to Parliament with MP Alicia Payne will host two town halls in August, 2021, exploring:
- FIVE KEY ISSUES that concern young people: education, employment, costs of living, equity and inclusion, and climate change.
- FOUR POTENTIAL WAYS to make sure the concerns of young people are being heard by policy-makers: funding for youth advocacy organisations, consulting young people directly, lowering the voting age, and encouraging young people to joining existing formal political institutions.
Connecting to Parliament 