Gen-Z luminary Nate Wilbourne engaged in the political cut and thrust in more ways than one at last week’s Youth Parliament sitting.
Briefly back in Brightwater from Germany for the United World College summer break, “but I wouldn’t say it’s so summery where we are”, the 17-year-old was among 123 young people walking the hallowed halls of the Beehive on July 1 and 2, absorbing New Zealand’s democracy.
It was also his moment in the debating chamber to condemn the government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill, and he also presented the biodiversity credits system’s benefits to decision-makers in a Parliamentary Working Group.
Nate, who is the Youth MP for former West Coast Tasman and current Labour List MP, Damien O’Connor, already has an illustrious portfolio, including a Young New Zealander of the Year semi-finalist.
He says he threw his hat into the Youth MP ring to have his say on the potential biodiversity for his electorate in the years ahead.
“I’ve got a vision for West Coast Tasman where nature thrives…it’s the most beautiful place in the country, and one of the biggest issues is the threat to nature in the electorate,” he says.
“The Fast-track Approvals Bill pretty much undermines a lot of legislation that was already in the House, a lot of protections and laws which are put in place to stop these big economic developers and companies from coming in and creating harm. I think there’s no sustainability considered and nothing to do with nature, and neither is the future of the land and what will be left behind for future generations.”
Nate says his debating chamber speech and Parliament’s grandeur made him feel like a minister.
“It was so much fun giving a speech in the debating chamber… hearing Rawiri Waititi and Willie Jackson cheer me on with all these supportive comments was really cool, and a lot of other Māori and Green MPs were also standing and clapping at the end of it,” he says. “I think I had hit the nail on the head when it came to having a good speech and saying what I believe in.”
Nate also decried the Ministry of Youth Development, which spearheaded Youth Parliament, for allegedly censoring speeches.
“The way that the Youth Parliament organised us this year was that we weren’t allowed to hold the government accountable in our speeches, we weren’t allowed to name ministers, and we were told not to name certain policies,” he says. “I think that’s pretty unjustified. I do appreciate that they’re looking out for us, but we’re here to speak up about what matters to us, and that includes speaking against the government’s actions.”
The ministry offered a mea culpa, saying its communications to Youth MPs about speech changes could have been clearer. Nate’s Youth MP tenure concludes on 29 August.
