Youth MP James Cowan in the political driving seat with Tukituki MP Lawrence Yule. Photo / Duncan Brown
Youth MP James Cowan in the political driving seat with Tukituki MP Lawrence Yule. Photo / Duncan Brown
The Tukituki electorate has a new Youth MP who will bring the region's most pressing youth needs to a national attention from the heart of Parliament.
Sitting Tukituki MP, National's Lawrence Yule, confirmed Lindisfarne College student James Cowan would be the electorate's representative.
As part of the Youth MP programme,the Year 12 pupil will next year attend a two-day Parliament in Wellington as a Youth MP for the electorate to debate issues that youth candidates have selected to discuss.
Before that, the 17-year-old would be shadowing MP Lawrence Yule to see what was involved in representing the electorate - including meeting National Party leader Simon Bridges at next week's Hawke's Bay Show.
He said he was "excited" about taking up the Youth MP role.
While he was representing Tukituki, he was not representing any political party, he said.
"I'm definitely interested in politics, it's a cool thing to not only represent people's perspectives but to challenge your own. "I think every party brings something to the table that's important. I'm not necessarily close to any party in particular because I think it's important, especially with MMP in politics, that there are so many perspectives that need to be represented."
Tukituki MP Lawrence Yule said James was given the role after impressing in the interview process.Youth Parliament is a triennial programme which gives young people the opportunity to understand and be a part of the Parliamentary process and connect with their communities. The next one will be in 2019.
