Speaker Trevor Mallard visits two Tauranga Schools bringing Parliament to the people

The Speaker, Trevor Mallard. Photo / File

Children at two schools in the Bay of Plenty and students from Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology are getting the chance to meet the Speaker of the House, Trevor Mallard, today.

The visit is part of the Speaker-led Outreach Programme that aims to bring Parliament to the people and the Speaker will be accompanied by the Tauranga-based MP, Jan Tinetti and Maree Brookes, the electorate agent for Tauranga's MP Simon Bridges.

Mallard said he was passionate about making Parliament more accessible to enhance its public perception, and increase public participation in New Zealand's democratic process.

"We want all New Zealanders to know that they can easily and effectively engage with Parliament, no matter their age or background. Not everyone can make it to Parliament, so it is easy for people to feel detached from the processes," Mallard said.

"Taking Parliament to the regions helps to rectify that feeling of detachment," he said.

At Tauranga's Merivale School 50 pupils from Years 4 to 6 will hear how anyone can get
involved and effect change by engaging with Parliament.

Specifically, how petitions work and some real examples of students who have petitioned Parliament and the outcome.

Given the school was a Māori Medium School, this would be done in te reo Māori and English.

The group would be cooking sausages for lunch at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, Windermere Campus, where students will also be taken on a virtual reality visit of Parliament, thanks to the Parliament XR app.

Later in the day at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori O Te Matai, in Te Puke, pupils would get the opportunity for a question and answer session with Mallard, again in te reo Māori and English.

The Speaker-led Outreach Programme was launched last year in South Auckland.

Mallard said he aimed to extend the programme, with the goal of visiting six regions per year.