Women in Parliament 

Last Friday, we were lucky enough to attend the Stepping Up Women in Parliament Program at Tasmanian Parliament House in Hobart. The program focused on women in government and encouraged more women to get involved in representing their communities at a local, state and federal level.

We started the day by listening to a panel of women currently involved in Tasmanian Parliament. They came from different political parties and shared their personal experiences of working in politics. We also heard from the Speaker of Parliament, the Honourable Jacqui Petrusma, who spoke about her journey into politics, being a mum of four and her previous career as a registered nurse. She explained how her passion for social justice and experiences involving issues affecting women encouraged her to enter politics.

We then had the chance to ask the panel questions about their careers, challenges and experiences in Parliament. It was interesting to hear the different answers and learn that there are many different pathways into politics.

One of the highlights of the day was taking part in a mock debate in the House of Assembly Chamber, where Parliament normally takes place. We debated whether International Women’s Day should become a public holiday. This gave us the chance to experience what it is like to be involved in a parliamentary debate and share our opinions.

We also got to tour Parliament House and participate in an activity about citizenship, where we learnt more about our role and responsibilities as members of the community.

Overall, the day was really interesting, educational and inspiring. We learnt that women have an important role to play in government and that young people can use their voices to create positive change. It was a great experience that gave us a better understanding of how Parliament works and encouraged us to think about how we can get involved in our communities in the future.

Lexi and Jess

Year 10 Students