Ani O'Brien: Frankenstein's Youth Parliament

An insight into the little monsters who will one day run the country

The monster in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is often mistakenly referred to as "Frankenstein," but the name actually belongs to the scientist who created the monster, Victor Frankenstein. The confusion reflects how the monster’s identity has merged with that of his creator overshadowing the novel's deeper themes about responsibility, creation, and the consequences of unchecked ambition.

Matua Kahurangi: Youth Parliament or Green Party dress rehearsal?

Lowering the voting age would kill the right

This week, the annual Youth Parliament returned to Wellington, and with it came a renewed push to lower the voting age to 16. It’s no surprise this idea is being floated again, and it's almost guaranteed that Labour and the Greens will back it. Why wouldn’t they? Sixteen-year-olds are still firmly under the influence of New Zealand’s highly politicised schooling system, where left-wing ideology is not only common but embedded into everyday teaching and forced down our kids throats.

Bob Edlin: A lesson for home-schooled children....

A lesson for home-schooled children: they can be better than kids taught in schools, but be denied the medals

How can you come third in a race but be denied the bronze medal, which was awarded instead to the fourth-placed competitor?

By being a home-schooled competitor participating in an event administered by an outfit called School Sport New Zealand.

We learned this from Centrist, which reports:

Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive - 19/11/24

As hikoi headed for Parliament, Seymour was busy with regulatory chores – and with seeking support for Treaty Principles Bill

When Point of Order checked the Stuff website around 11.15am for a hikoi progress report, we learned that Courtenay Place was “jam-packed with chanting kaihīkoi”.

We were puzzled and consulted the online version of Te Aka Māori-English, English-Māori Dictionary and Index. We drew a blank (see screenshot below):

James Broome-Isa: I'm 17, but I can't support lowering the voting age

It has been a big fortnight for young people with a political bent.

Last week 120 Youth MPs sat and were reported on by 19 members of the Youth Press Gallery under the watch of the first Youth Clerk or Youth Parliamentary CEO.

In the week before that, the slick, well-funded campaign to lower the voting age to 16 was heard in the Supreme Court. “Youth” are seeking a declaration that the voting age of 18 is inconsistent with the Bill of Rights.

Being one of the Youth MPs privileged to sit in the big green chairs, I will not and cannot support lowering the voting age to 16.