STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Ms BELL (Moncrieff) (16:41): Today, as part of the Raise Our Voice initiative, I'll be reading the words of 17-year-old Jordan from the electorate of Moncrieff: The biggest issue shaping my future isn't one policy area. It's whether young people get a genuine seat at the table when decisions about our future are made. As a Member in the Queensland Youth Parliament and a Student Ambassador, I've seen how much insight young people have, and how often that insight never reaches the people making the decisions.

On the STORM Committee this year, we drafted a bill addressing inconsistent trunk infrastructure charges that are quietly driving up housing costs across Queensland, an issue affecting my generation's ability to ever own a home. We researched it, consulted on it and built real legislation around it. That work proved young people don't just have opinions on the issues that will shape our future.

We can do the policy work too, if we're given the chance. I want Parliament to commit to genuine co-design with young people: funded, ongoing youth advisory structures with a direct line to decision-makers and a requirement that our input is documented and responded to, not just collected. We're not asking to be heard for the sake of it.

We're asking because we have something worth hearing. Congratulations to Jordan for your contribution to the Australian parliament.