Kambala is delighted to share that Hania in Year 11 represented the electorate of Wentworth at the National Youth Parliament. Her commitment to and active participation in our local community are truly commendable.
Hania shares her experiences
After being selected as one of 150 young people representing each federal electorate across
Australia, I traveled to Canberra for a five-day residential program funded by the House of
Representatives. Throughout the week, I gained insight into parliamentary processes and how
bills become law. I put this directly into practice by debating two Mock Bills on Artificial
Intelligence and Intergenerational Fairness, led by former Speaker Tony Smith in Old Parliament
House. The week was filled with surreal moments, from a formal lunch in Mural Hall visited by
the Prime Minister to a reception at Government House with the Governor-General.
On the final day, I had the opportunity to deliver an Adjournment Debate speech on a topic
important to myself and my community. I chose to speak about the potential power of allowing
young people to opt out of social media algorithms. My speech was directly inspired by the bill
led by Kambala Old Girl Chanel Contos for the Fix Our Feeds initiative. By chance, I also had
the surprise honor of meeting Chanel right after my speech while she was in Parliament
promoting the bill, and it was amazing to see her incredible work since leaving Kambala. I also
met with our Federal Member for Wentworth, Allegra Spender, along with several other
Independent MPs. Having Allegra in the chamber to hear me speak was deeply inspiring, and
seeing these women collaborate so effectively in Canberra was truly motivating.
This once-in-a-lifetime experience gave me invaluable practice in my passions for public
speaking and policy creation, which I plan to pursue after school through a career in law or
business. However, the most impactful part of the program was undoubtedly the opportunity to
connect with other young people from across the country, from Tasmania to rural Western
Australia. While we all came from vastly different backgrounds, we shared the same desire to
learn and take action. Hearing about the unique challenges facing their communities, and the
amazing work they are doing to address them, opened my eyes to new perspectives that I will
carry with me as I continue to expand politics and society.
We congratulate Hania on her fantastic achievement.