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Youth Parliament

John Hartevelt, at parliament

Phil Goff “slithered off to Palestine” to “fondle terrorists” according to one of the racier Youth MPs at this week’s Youth Parliament.

It took the spicy rhetoric of Edward Brownlee to get the debate running during the first day of Youth Parliament yesterday. After his criticisms of Defence Minister Phil Goff, two members rose to complain about Brownlee’s personal attacks, citing the standing orders of parliament, which also apply at Youth Parliament. The assistant speaker Ann Hartley ruled the comments were in order as part of “robust debate”.

Brownlee, sponsored by National MP Jonathon Coleman, was among the 121 school-aged politicos meeting at parliament to discuss all things related to youth.

The fifth Youth Parliament opened on Sunday and the 16 to 18 year-old political wannabes sat in the House for the first time yesterday (SUBS: Monday) afternoon.

While most other speakers on the first sitting day were relatively sedate in comparison with Brownlee, the MPs were variously advised by their colleagues that “Chlamydiae is not a flower”, alcohol provides “considerable recreational benefits” for young people and New Zealand needs a flat tax at a rate of 18 cents in the dollar.

Brownlee said he felt strongly about Israel.

“I believe that there can be no cause more noble nor pressing than the defence of freedom and the pursuit of peace, prosperity and security for all free people. Israel has been consistently marginalised, if not demonised, for being one of the most outspoken defenders of this cause.”

Some of the less outspoken Youth MPs got the chance to pose questions to their grown up counterparts. Members were especially persistent with questions on the National Certificate in Educational Achievement (NCEA).

Kritika Satija (Kritika Satija), sitting in Labour MP Ashraf Choudhary’s seat, criticised the Cambridge examinations and called for young people to have faith in the NCEA system. “The Cambridge system ensures that students are only good at sitting exams,” she said.

Minister of Education Steve Maharey claimed NCEA provided “the most transparent exam system in the world.”

Most Ministers fronted for the questions, and one of the Youth MPs, Jonathon Rowe, conceded: “I thank (Minister of Finance) Dr Cullen for so humorously and directly putting me in my place.”

Christchurch list MP Alicia Gainsford used her three-minute speech to highlight the binge drinking culture. “Each generation is learning from the last and continuing the problem,” she said. Early preventative education and controls of marketing were needed to break the cycle of binge drinking, she said.