Pegasus Post: August 02, 2016

8
Your Local Views
Youth MP for
Christchurch East
and Aranui High
Tuesday August 2 2016
Fortunate to have democracy SHOWBIZ Christchurch held
its popular Way Off Broadway
ews
School student
Beth Walters
talks about
attending Youth
Parliament and representing
the eastern suburbs
Parliament,
ashion
a word which until
recently used to have a series of
negative connotations because
I would only ever see it through
the eyes of the media. However,
maybe the word Parliament is
viewed negatively because we
don’t value and understand fully
our democracy?
I know personally it was only
until recently from participating
in Youth Parliament, did I realise
Gardening
how fortunate we are to live a
democratic society.
Youth Parliament was an
experience that was eye opening,
not only to the way our democracy
works but also to how every
individual has backgrounds and
passions that shape their viewpoints
and the way they conduct
themselves, because of the demo-
otoring
cratic society we live I realised
how privileged we are to be able
to express these opinions.
Over the space of two days, 121
youth MPs from across Aotearoa
represented and advocated for the
asty Bites
young people from their respective
electorates. I represented Christchurch
East. As young people we
learnt a lot and experienced the
majority of what a MP would.
Youth parliamentarians this
year debated a mock bill. Its
purpose was to ensure that New
Zealand’s web pages and apps are
accessible to people with disabilities.
Some would argue, was this
the most relevant issue that affects
young people to be debating?
However, I feel the perspectives
that were raised provided a
youthful insight into an important
issue that the Government
will one day have to pass a bill on.
It was the mock bill that gave me
insight into how vital it is in our
democratic society that different
opinions and perspectives are
presented when debating issues
that affect everyone.
The respect, the courage and
the mana that was shown by the
rangatahi that represented each
electorate and community over
the two days at Parliament, was
a true testament to the calibre
of young people we have in
Aotearoa.
But the question can be asked
in the Christchurch East electorate,
how can we better encourage
involvement and engagement in
the democratic process? In the
2014 election, a total of 2540 of
the 4265 people aged between
18 and 24 enrolled to vote in
the Christchurch East electorate
voted. However, since being in
Parliament I’ve begun to ask,
what about the other 40 per cent
who chose not to vote?
I’ve recently turned 18 and in
this year’s local council elections
and also in next year’s general
election I am legally able to vote
and I will, because I feel educated
around the different parties and
policies but I only feel educated
because of my experiences at
Youth Parliament, prior to that I
had no idea.
If that is the case, then there
will be many young people like I
who feel uneducated around the
democratic process. As a community
how can we better educate
each other on the importance of
voting, that it is a right that we
should be grateful to have and
how can we better show not only
young people but also adults
the importance and value that a
democratic society presents?
Way off Broadway
brings out talent
show earlier this month.
The bi-monthly concert is an
open-mic night for performers,
held at the NASDA studios at
the Ara Institute of Canterbury
based in the central city.
For each performance, nine
singers individually took to the
stage to sing musical theatre
accompanied by the piano.
The singers were
accompanied by pianist Sam
Jury.
The recent performance
included songs from wellknown
musicals including
My Fair Lady, Les Miserables,
Dreamgirls, Jekyll and Hyde
and Willy Wonka. There
will be two more Way Off
Broadway performances this
year with a duet evening on
September 9 and further solo
performances on December
11. The performances are
unauditioned.
Interested performers should
email wayoffbroadway@
showbiz.org.nz
PEGASUS POST
IN THE MOMENT: Briana
VinZant, of Burwood,
showed her talent at the
NASDA studios recently.
Below: Pianist Sam Jury.
PHOTOS: DONNA ALLEY ​
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