Warringah students become policymakers at inaugural Youth Voices forum
25 March 2026
Young leaders from across Warringah stepped beyond the classroom and into the role of policymakers, delivering powerful statements on national issues at the inaugural Youth Voices event.
Warringah MP Zali Steggall convened the event, held at Mosman High School. Some 60 students in Year 11 and 12, from 15 schools, were invited to actively participate in democracy and help shape Australia’s policy conversations.
The discussions spanned a broad range of topics ranging from mental health to social media, AI in schools, future jobs, the cost of living, reproductive healthcare and homelessness. Comment from participants included:
Under 16s social media ban: “Instead of the enforced prohibition of young children on social media, we implore the government to rather enforce higher standards of moral principles, transparency and verified information to create a safer environment online, because we acknowledge there's also benefits as well.”
Youth incarceration: “What were you all doing when you were 10 years old? For so many young Australians who should have been playing with their toys and going to school, they are trapped in a jail cell. What kind of impact do you think this has on a child, on somebody who hasn't even started high school? … The age of criminal responsibility should not be 10.”
Mental health: “School systems represent the most effective point of contact to address young people's well-being, and this is why increasing the amount of counsellors in schools is vital.”
Equity: “Women deserve free period products. We deserve them now, and inequality should be eliminated.”
Cost of living: “Minimum wage for our age is $16, yet my petrol, 91 unleaded by the way, for my Suzuki Swift, which is also a very fuel-efficient car, is $80 per tank. That's two weeks of work for me.”
Insights gathered from the event will inform Steggall’s advocacy and representation in Parliament.
She said the event showed why young people must be central to national decision-making.
“There is a saying in politics: if you are not at the table, you are on the menu,” Steggall said. “This event was about making sure young people are at the table - speaking for themselves, identifying the issues affecting their lives, and contributing to policy conversations that shape their future.”
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