Young First Nations Australians are among 150 young people from across the country taking part in the 2026 National Youth Parliament in Canberra this week.
The five-day program brings together one student from each federal electorate to learn about Australia’s parliamentary system, take part in mock sittings and debates, and meet politicians and other people working in and around Parliament House.
Sage, a Gundungurra woman and the Youth Member for Canberra, says greater First Nations representation in politics would afford Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people a greater say in decisions affecting their communities.
She encouraged other young people to take an interest in politics.
“I think young First Nations people should be interested because we were here first. It’s our land. It’s our country,” she told NITV.
“And if we want a say in it, then it’s really important we use our voices, that we’re seen and heard ... so we have more self-determination about what’s going on with our culture, our people, our land,” she said.
“We’re making the decisions for ourselves and not other people making it for what they think we need.”
Sage is one of 150 young Australians participating in the program, which is being delivered by Y Australia in partnership with the Department of the House of Representatives.
Participants are taking part in mock sittings, panels and ‘Member Experience’ sessions at Parliament House and the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House.
The program comes as new research from Y Australia highlights a strong interest in democracy among young Australians, despite widespread feelings that their voices are not being heard.
The research found 99.5 per cent of young people surveyed said they care about democracy and the social issues affecting Australia, while 83 per cent said their interest had increased over the past two years.
But the research also found significant distrust in the political system.
Only two per cent of young people surveyed said they trusted Parliament to deal with the issues that matter most to them, while more than four in five said people their age have little or no influence over decisions made by those in power.
“I think young people really need to take an interest in democracy because it’s our future,” Sage said.
“It’s coming into our hands next, and just understanding what’s going on, how we can make an impact — whether or not you’re in politics, even just as a person, how you can put your issues forward, supporting your community, and just understanding what sort of future we want and how we’re going to make that happen.”
More than nine in 10 young people surveyed by Y Australia said they would become more involved in democracy and social issues if they believed doing so would actually make a difference.
But 22 per cent said they did not know how to get more involved, while 20.8 per cent said they did not feel heard.
For Shaquille, the Youth Member for Durack and a young person of Nyamal heritage, the week has offered a first-hand look at the work involved in running the country.
“The thing I have learned is mainly about how much work being in public life is,” Shaquille said.
“It’s all the things that happen behind the scenes, all the coordination, everything that goes towards making our country run the way it does.”
Shaquille said his time in Canberra had also given him a new appreciation for Parliament as a physical representation of Australian democracy.
“This place is Australia. It’s our Australia, and it’s our visual and physical representation of that,” he said.
He has also used the opportunity to meet senior political figures, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Speaker of the House of Representatives Milton Dick, and Housing, Homelessness and Cities Minister Clare O’Neil.
“It’s very surreal because it doesn’t feel real when you see them because they’re such an important figure coming down and just revealing that they’re a normal person,” Shaquille said.
“They’re a normal Australian like all of us.”
Shaquille said his message to the Prime Minister would be to remember the reason he entered public life.
“Keep in mind why you are doing this,” he said.
“It’s important that you remember why you got into this place in the first place — your constituents, your community, trying to fight for your values and a cause that can benefit every single person in our great nation.”
Both young representatives encouraged other young Australians, and particularly First Nations young people, to see politics as something they can participate in rather than something that happens around them.
“Get up, get out, try your best, make a difference in the world, represent your community, and make your community, make your mob, make your Elders, and make yourself proud," said Shaquille.
For Sage, that participation is also about ensuring young people understand that their voices have value.
She said a future in politics was “definitely a possibility” for her, particularly if it meant continuing to speak up about issues affecting First Nations communities.
