2008 School Magazine

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aU^;;;.^;;;. Net. AND YouTll PARiUAM^;;;. NT

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-. ~ , between fifteen and twenty-five, and offers the Have you ever wondered how a Bill is written or what it feels like to be a Member of Parliament? YMCA Youth Parliament is a fun and exciting programme that runs every year for youth aged

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\^,. I, '~* ..,,,,. f, ';,>.;4.4t"it, * """" '5'3' " "',,, I' ', .*' I ^;"^^11^ 2008 I Over the September holidays, thirty Year 12 students and three teachers were privileged to travel to the beautiful Queenstown, New Zealand, for the 2008 Ski Trip. We stayed at the Rydges Lakeside Hotel for six nights, with four days spent skiing and the rest of our time enjoying the sights. . The first two days of skiing were spent at the Remarkables ski fields, which allowed the beginners of the group to find their feet, before progressing to Cardrona ski fields, where the beginners had the green light to try the bigger slopes and the advanced skiers took on moguls and jumps on the narrow back slopes. Despite some less than perfect weather, our time on the slopes was most enjoyable and everyone in , the group progressed considerably, challenging their comfort zones with some impressive bruises to prove , it! Armed with our surprising Iy warm 'Ski Trip 08' hoodies we explored the city at dusk and became , :*~. . * a regular fixture at the Patagonia Chocolate shop. We took a break from skiing and boarded the Skyline , Gondola to take in the breathtaking scenery before juging down part of the mountain in high speed races. , An afternoon of leisure followed, with some girls choosing to go ice skating-initiating a lively game , of 'Red Rover'. -" at. .. r *.',

opportunity to experience how Parliament operates. Participants are selected from each of the eighty-nine electorates in Queensland and assigned a portfolio to write a Bill. Portfolios range from health, indigenous and multicultural affairs, to Justice and Attorney-General. All participants meet for a week at camp North Pine in the seat of Kurwongbah. During the days Bills are debated, matters of public importance discussed, and each member given the opportunity to make a personal speech about an issue of importance in their electorate. The week is also balanced with games, disco's, bowling and camp fires to lighten the load of the early starts and late finishes to each working day. Youth Parliament is not just for people interested in politics-it is about learning and gaining a new experience. This year I was the member for Kurwongbah and was part of the Justice and Attorney-General portfolio. The Bill introduced, debated and passed was the Reproductive Health Rights Bill which decriminalised abortion. The matter of importance I raised was media portrayal of worne . Youth Parliament wa a very rewarding experience and I encourage other students to consider applying for next year's programme. ^a^^ 441^^^' 172 I

Thanks to Mrs R Lang and Miss K Browne, and special thanks to Mrs K Cohen, without whom the trip would not have happened. We all had the greatest time-developing our skiing, forming friendships and exploring Queenstown-and of course we would strongly recommend next year's ski trip to all IZ^.@ E',^,"'.@ 17'2^^ ^MP ",^PE^\^ I^'0^861^'"'17^!

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