Auckland MP Chloe Swarbrick to host Palmy Young Candidates Forum

Auckland Central MP Chloe Swarbrick will moderate the Palmy Young Candidates Forum on Friday. Photo / Tim Onnes.

Arguably New Zealand's most famous young politician, 26-year-old Chloe Swarbrick, will be in Palmerston North on Friday. While here, she'll moderate a forum of young candidates in the Palmerston North City Council byelection.

Interestingly, five of the 11 candidates in this election are aged 30 or younger.

With few forums on offer, the young candidates decided to do the one-off forum on February 12 when it became clear Swarbrick was planning to visit the city and was happy to host.

The forum will feature candidates Orphee Mickalad, Vanessa Rozenberg, Nikita Skipper, Stefan Speller and William Wood.

"The young candidates were keen to create this opportunity," says Alister Bellamy, who juggles managing Vanessa Rozenberg's campaign with his full-time job in retail and other leadership responsibilities.

"These candidates are the face of a new generation of political voices in our city," Bellamy says. "The forum offers a great opportunity to connect with them."

More and more young people are bringing their voice to politics, whether through School Strike for Climate, speaking up as young renters facing a housing crisis, looking for meaningful work, responding to mental health issues, or calling for drug reform, he says.

"This will be a great experience for everyone who chooses to attend. Healthy debate is good for democracy and for the city's future."

Everyone is invited to attend the free forum. It runs from 5.30-6.30pm on February 12 at the Globe Theatre, with doors open at 5pm.

People unable to make the 5.30pm forum are welcome to join a conversation hosted from 7pm the same evening at Cafe Royale, featuring Swarbrick, Rozenberg and Palmerston North city councillors Renee Dingwall and Brent Barrett.