Alice Springs students will learn what life is like for politicians at a Youth Parliament from Saturday. (April 14)
Youth Parliament is a six-day camp at the MacDonnell Range Caravan Park which includes two days of parliamentary-style debate (one day at CDU and another day at the Alice Springs Convention Centre), as well as training and practice in parliamentary procedures.
CDU’s Desert Lantern Restaurant will be setup to emulate a chamber of parliament and participants will debate a number of bills.
The students participating are aged between the ages of 13 and 25, and come from six schools in Darwin and Alice Springs. It is coordinated and resourced by the YMCA of the Top End and YMCA of Central Australia together with the Department of Legislative Assembly.
Topics for debate will include anti-smoking initiatives in the NT, "dry zones" in Alice Springs and incentives to recycle bottles and cans.
Youth Parliaments started in the NT in 1995.
At the conclusion of the Youth Parliament, Bills that have been passed will be presented to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly for comment and critique.