Mitchell Dahlstrom will take part in the National Indigenous Youth Parliament at the end of this month.
Mr Dahlstrom was chosen as one of six New South Wales youth councillors, narrowed down from an impressive field of more than 50 applicants.
The councillors will meet in Canberra this month to debate issues affecting their communities and country at the first National Indigenous Youth Parliament.
Australian Electoral Commissioner, Ed Killesteyn, said the Youth Parliament would consist of six representatives from each state and territory and two from the Torres Strait Islands.
“The National Indigenous Youth Parliament is being run by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) in conjunction with the YMCA to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Indigenous right to vote in federal elections,” Mr Killesteyn said.
“It is also a major event in the AEC’s ‘Year of Enrolment’.
“The centrepiece is the Youth Parliament on the weekend of May 26-27 where Bills addressing indigenous issues will be debated.
“The Youth Parliament is designed to help close the gap on indigenous disadvantage in electoral participation,” Mr Killesteyn said.
“There are some estimates that less than half of eligible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people may be enrolled to vote.
“Participants (in the council) were selected on the basis of their community involvement, interest in the parliamentary system and the leadership skills they can contribute.”
Mr Dahlstrom will spend a week in Canberra learning how government works, how laws are made and have workshops in public speaking and honing his media skills.
He will also meet with MPs and Senators.
Bills agreed by the Youth Parliament will be presented to the government and opposition to provide a youth perspective on some of the major challenges facing Australia today.
The Bill put forward by NSW is the Indigenous Seed Funding Youth Bill 2012.
Mr Dahlstrom said the Bill had been decided upon in a meeting of all the NSW members in Sydney.
“We want to establish an independent committee to oversee seed funding of indigenous projects.
“It is better than a ‘one size fits all’ blanket solution - funding needs to be tailored to each community and the issues they are having.”
Mr Dahlstrom said an issue particular to Moree Plains Shire was the lack of indigenous representation on a lot of community bodies, especially the council.”
“I am really happy that I was selected, and I’m looking forward to heading off to Canberra for the week.”