by Ineka Leffler
Each year over 100 individuals from across Victoria are given the opportunity to participate in the Y Victorian Youth Parliament. From there, participants can create a bill, debate in front of MPs, and create a statement to the house.
The members of the Overnewton Anglican College Youth Parliament team for 2024 were Jonty Ord-Hume, Asad Kazmi, Emma Taylor, Henry Brook, and Valentina Velasco.
As proud pet owners, the team took on the suggestions of the RSPCA and the Australian Veterinary Association to create a bill that would mandate the desexing of all registered dogs and cats, with exceptions, in Victoria.
Their bill aimed to reduce mass euthanasia, overcrowding in animal shelters, and protect native wildlife.
“Their lives have value, and their lives matter,” said Ord-Hume.
Taylor recalled the “harm to our local wildlife” caused by suburban cats, citing the estimated five to 30 vertebrates captured annually by suburban cats, including both native and introduced species.
Currently in Victoria, local councils can create their own desexing requirements and incentives to desex cats and dogs. However, the team feels that state legislation would be more effective.
“Desexing must be something to consider before becoming a dog or cat owner,” said Velasco.
Despite claims from the team’s opposition, Kazmi assured participants that the “long term pet’s health and wellbeing is considered.”
Kazmi hit back at false assumptions that desexing is harmful, stating instead that desexing does in fact do the opposite and “prevent numerous health issues.”
The debate lasted for under an hour and simulated almost all aspects of the state parliament’s sitting days. From debates to divisions, participants took on the role of a state MP.
“It’s an honour to experience what they do in their daily life, you don’t get many opportunities like this,” said Brook.
The Y reported in 2017 that two-thirds (66 per cent) of young people feel as though their age prevents them from being heard.
As the youngest female MP in the Victorian Parliament, Georgie Purcell, states that “it is more important than ever for young people to advocate for what they’re passionate about”.
When asked how he felt given the opportunity to debate his team’s bill in Parliament Brook said, “It was really cool, it did get heated, but it was fun to experience”.
In the words of Purcell, “Don’t let anybody ever tell you that you’re too young! I am the youngest woman in the Victorian Parliament, and I want somebody to steal that title from me.”
At the end of the program, it was announced that the Youth Parliament and Youth Press Gallery program received $660,000 from the state government, giving it the ability to continue running for the next four years.
Ineka is a member of the 2024 Youth Press Gallery
