Invitation – Raise Our Voice, 8 August 2024
Closing soon: Young Australians invited to have their voices heard in Parliament
Australians as young as five are invited to have their voices heard from the floors of Parliament on a national stage by MPs and Senators through the Raise Our Voice in Parliament 2024 campaign.
This year, during the Youth Voice in Parliament week between 7 and 10 October, almost 100 politicians across Australia will dedicate a speaking slot to a 90-second speech written by a young person aged 25 or under from their electorate.
The annual Raise Our Voice in Parliament campaign, now in its fourth year, shines a unique spotlight on the diverse voices, views, and opinions of Australia’s young people who possess invaluable insights but are often overlooked in political and policy debates.
96 MPs and Senators, spread across every Australian state and territory, are so far set to participate in this year’s campaign so far, the highest ever for the Youth Voice in Parliament week.
The 2024 campaign invites speech submissions from people of all genders on the topic: “What do you want your community to look like in the next ten years, and what can the next parliament do to achieve it?”.
The initiative, spearheaded by the social enterprise Raise Our Voice Australia, amplifies youth participation in politics and democracy by inviting discussion on issues important to youth and addressing the changes needed to tackle existing barriers innovatively. It also features workshops and opportunities alongside the speech competition to teach young people how to influence government and policies.
Raise Our Voice Australia is a volunteer-led social enterprise mobilising young women and gender-diverse people to transform policy and politics through campaigns, research and training. This campaign is open to young people of all genders.
Speech submissions close on 16 August. For more information on the Raise Our Voice in Parliament campaign or to submit a speech, visit https://raiseourvoiceaustralia.com/youthvoice.
Quotes attributable to Greens leader Adam Bandt MP
“Too often young people are shut out from politics because they aren’t given a seat at the table. They see the tired, old parties wax lyrical about issues affecting young people without actually letting young people speak for themselves.”
Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister for Employment Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP
“We need more young voices in politics, to challenge conventional wisdom and ensure that policies look to the long-term. I’m delighted to support the Raise Our Voice campaign.”
Quotes attributable to Raise Our Voice CEO and Founder Ashleigh Streeter-Jones
“Young people aren’t just the future of tomorrow, they’re here leading today. Despite this, they remain critically under-represented in our decision making bodies. It’s critical that we continue to elevate the voices of young Australians in our political landscape, and the Raise Our Voice in Parliament campaign is a perfect opportunity to amplify the voices of our present and future leaders.”
Quotes attributable to 9-year-old Raise Our Voice in Parliament participant Maahi Varma
“I think it is important for young people to be heard. I found the experience to be valuable because it made me feel that my opinions are important and that my voice has power.”
Quotes attributable to 11-year-old Raise Our Voice in Parliament participant Méabh Hennessy
“The Raise Our Voice campaign really helped me to feel connected to parliament and politics and made me feel powerful. It made me feel that I could get my voice out there and that my voice could be heard about the topics that I’m passionate about.”
Quotes attributable to Dai Le MP
“The Raise Our Voice in Parliament campaign is a unique opportunity for a myriad of young Australians’ voices to be raised in the halls of Parliament – to ensure they are represented and heard. I look forward to participating in the 2024 campaign and representing another young person’s voice.”
Liberal MP for Bass Bridget Archer (2023):
“I firmly believe that if we want to see better engagement from youth with the political process, it’s imperative we offer the opportunities to have their voices heard.”
