MILDURA’s 2023 youth parliament team has successfully passed a Bill in the Legislative Council.
The team of five including Jesse Dass, Grace Albanese, Evie Olley, Cooper Rawlinson and Sofia Ghidinelli-Matheson introduced the Increased Environmentally Sustainable Strategies Bill 2023 on Thursday last week.
Ms Ghidinelli-Matheson, 18, said the Bill aimed to expand upon Victorian government plans for a circular economy.
“The purpose of the Bill was primarily to supplement the existing climate change policy we have and increase community engagement in environmental policy,” Ms Ghidinelli-Matheson said.
Several solutions the Bill proposed included capturing methane at state-run landfills, setting up clothing recycling exchanges and a network of community gardens, increasing recycling plant access in regional areas and implementing solar farms onto sealed-off landfills.
The Bill passed 25 votes to 23 after a respectful debate against Overnewton Anglican Community College.
“(The Opposition) rightly pointed out that there are flaws in our Bill in regards to not having a large enough scope in some areas, and probably that we could have elaborated a bit better on some of our ideas,” Ms Ghidinelli-Matheson said.
“They wanted to see a more cohesive and more worked-on Bill, but they still agreed with the general idea.”
The Mildura youth parliament team had to then oppose a Bill brought forward by Overnewton Anglican Community College, the Reduction of Hostile Architecture Bill 2023.
It was a Bill proposing to remove any architecture that prevents people from loitering, including items designed purposely to keep homeless people from accessing spaces like benches.
“It was a very difficult Bill to personally debate because I very much love the Bill and agreed wholeheartedly with its policy,” Ms Ghidinelli-Matheson
“But in the end I think my team did a fantastic job.”
Ms Ghidinelli-Matheson described the youth parliament experience as a fantastic opportunity, and wholeheartedly encourages others to try and participate.
“You get the build a community with other people who are very interested in politics,” Ms Ghidinelli-Matheson said.
“I would highly encourage them to make the connections with the people that are there with the program.
“You can’t make similar connections as easily in everyday life, you’ll meet amazing people, spend the time, talk with them, get to know the people and hopefully you’ll get to make some lifelong friends afterwards.”
The Mildura team’s bill was one of the 18 that passed, and will be referred on to the current Victorian Government.
Since the first Youth Parliament took place in 1987, 86 Bills have passed.
