Raise Our Voice in Parliament is back for 2025
Politicians speak on the behalf of us. Now, they’re speaking our words.
We asked federal politicians if they would amplify the voices of young people from their electorates by reading their vision for the future in our Federal Parliament.
Your representatives want to hear from you in 2025 - what do you want them to know?
Submit your speech below answering the question “What steps should the government take today to build a better tomorrow for young Australians?”
“What steps should the government take today to build a better tomorrow for young Australians?”
From 27-30 October, your representatives have signed up to amplify your voice and your ideas in Parliament and online during Youth Voice in Parliament week. That’s right - politicians across the country have committed to read a speech written by a young person aged 25 or under in their state, territory or electorate.
This is your opportunity to raise the issues that matter most to you, in your words. So, we want to hear from you…
“What do you want your community to look like in the next 10 years, and what can the next parliament do to achieve it?”
Where do I start?
We know writing a speech can feel daunting - let alone trying to capture what is important to you, while keeping it to 90 seconds! Here are our top tips from the hundreds of speeches we’ve received through previous campaign:
Aim for 200 words. This will translate to about 90 seconds, which is allocated time.
Highlight one issue, talk about why it’s important and what you want the future to be.
Don’t focus on the politics of the issue, focus on the end goal of what you’d like to see.
Explain why the issue is important and why people should care.
Use simple language which most people would be able to understand.
Shorter sentences are best, and sound more impactful when read out loud. If you can break a sentence into two, go for it.
Which politicians will amplify your voice?
Australian Capital Territory
Senators
Senator Katy Gallagher | Senator David Pocock
Federal MPs
David Smith (Member for BEAN) | Assistant Minister Andrew Leigh (Member for FENNER)
Members of the Legislative Assembly
Laura Nuttall (Member for BRINDABELLA) | Caitlin Tough (Member for BRINDABELLA) | Taimus Werner-Gibbens (Member for BRINDABELLA) | Peter Cain (Member for Ginnenderra) | Tara Cheyne (Member for Ginnenderra) | Thomas Emerson (Member for KURRAJONG) | Shane Rattenbury (Member for KURRAJONG) | Andrew Braddock (Member for YERRABI)
New South Wales
Senators
Senator Mehreen Faruqi | Senator Jenny McAllister
Federal MPs
Ash Ambihaipaher (Member for BARTON) | Nicolette Boele (Member for BRADFIELD) | Andrew Gee (Member for CALARE) | Alison Byrnes (Member for CUNNINGHAM) | Kristy McBain (Member for EDEN-MONARO) | Dai Le (Member for FOWLER) | Fiona Phillips (Member for GILMORE) | Dan Repacholi (Member for HUNTER) | Dr Sophie Scamps (Member for MACKELLAR) | Susan Templeman (Member for MACQUARIE) | Sally Sitou (Member for REID) | Minister Pat Conroy (Member for SHORTLAND) | Zali Steggall (Member for WARRINGAH) | Allegra Spender (Member for WENTWORTH) | Anne Stanley (Member for WERRIWA) | Carol Berry (Member for WHITLAM)
Northern Territory
To be confirmed
Queensland
Senators
Senator Penny Allman-Payne | Senator Nita Green | Senator Larissa Waters
Federal MPs
Madonna Jarrett (Member for BRISBANE) | Michelle Landry (Member for CAPRICORNIA) | Andrew WILLCOX (Member for Dawson) | Ali France (Member for DICKSON) | Andrew Wallace (Member for FISHER) | Colin Boyce (Member for FLYNN) | Matt Smith (Member for LEICHHARDT) | David Littleproud (Member for MARANOA) | Leon Rebello (Member for MCPHERSON) | Angie Bell (Member for MONCREIFF) | Julie-Anne Campbell (Member for MORETON) | Emma Comer (Member for PETRIE) | Elizabeth Watson-Brown (Member for RYAN)
South Australia
Senators
Senator Barbara Pocock | Senator Marielle Smith | Senator Charlotte Walker
Federal MPs
Steve Georganas (Member for ADELAIDE) | Louise Miller-Frost (Member for BOOTHBY) | Rebekah Sharkie (Member for MAYO) | Claire Clutterham (Member for STURT)
Tasmania
Senators
Senator Wendy Askew | Senator Richard Dowling | Senator Peter Whish-Wilson
Federal MPs
Jess Teesdale (Member for BASS) | Andrew Wilkie (Member for CLARK) | Rebecca White (Member for LYONS)
Victoria
Senator Lisa Darmanin | Senator Lidia Thorpe
Federal MPs
Mary Doyle (Member for ASTON) | Dr Carina Garland (Member for CHISHOLM) | Libby Coker (Member for CORANGAMITE) | Zoe McKenzie (Member for FLINDERS) | Tim Wilson (Member for GOLDSTEIN) | Helen Haines (Member for INDI) | Monique Ryan (Member for KOOYONG) | Josh Burns (Member for MACNAMARA) | Rob Mitchell (Member for McEwan) | Sarah Witty (Member for MELBOURNE) | Gabriel Ng (Member for MENZIES) | Peter Khalil (Member for WILLS)
Western Australia
Senators
Senator Dorinda Cox | Senator Fatima Payman | Senator Dean Smith | Senator Jordon Steele-John
Federal MPs
Matt Keogh (Member for BURT) | Anne Aly (Member for COWAN) | Kate Chaney (Member for CURTIN) | Melissa Price (Member for DURACK) | Ben Small (Member for Forrest) | Assistant Minister Patrick Gorman (Member for PERTH)
Where are our politicians located?
Previous impact
In 2021, we asked politicians to read 90-second speeches written by anyone under 21 who lives in their electorate, or their state. Successful applicants had their speeches delivered in Parliament House (and written into the Hansard record forever!), and all participants were invited to attend a number of free workshops to learn more about making change.
Thank you to all our past partners at YWCA Australia, Run For It, UNICEF Australia, Generation Politics, Australian Youth Climate Coalition, WhyNot, Student Voices Network, Foundations for Tomorrow, GNX Leaders, and Global Goals Australia for their support. You can read more about our impact here.
We are so proud of all our young speech writers - check out their speeches on our YouTube channel below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can participate?
The campaign is open to all young people in Australia aged 25 or under - you do not need to be an Australian citizen to submit a speech.
What are the campaign dates?
Speech submissions are open until 29 August. Unfortunately speech submissions are now closed for 2025.
How will I know if my speech is chosen?
If your speech is selected by your MP, you’ll receive an email in early October. If your speech is not selected, your speech will be passed to the participating Senators. If your speech is selected by a Senator, you’ll hear from us around mid October. Youth Voice in Parliament week is 27-30 October.
How do I know which electorate I’m in?
To participate in the campaign, it’s important that you select your federal electorate. If you’re unsure of your federal electorate, you can head to the Australian Electoral Commission website here and look it up using your suburb or postcode.
Why do I need to provide my mobile number?
We understand that email isn’t for everyone. If your speech is selected and we can’t contact you via email, we still need to tell you the good news! We might also get in touch to discuss media opportunities, if you’ve given consent for us to do so.
Why are some participating politicians reading speeches on their social media?
Participating Ministers and Assistant Ministers don’t get 90 second speaking slots in Parliament. If your local MP or Senator is a Minister, they will read your speech on social media instead.
How do I write a speech?
Great question! There are lots of ways to write a speech, and there’s no wrong way. But, we know this is tricky and we’re happy to help! You can access a speech template here.
Where can I find the campaign privacy statement?
You can find the privacy statement here.
Where can I find the speeches from last year?
All of the speeches that were given have been uploaded to our YouTube channel, and can be viewed here.