Federal Member for Parkes Jamie Chaffey recently called on students from Years 10, 11 and 12 from across the electorate of Parkes to enter the very popular My First Speech competition.
This competition, which gives one student from each year group across the country the chance to give their speech at Australian Parliament House, has closed for submissions, but a second competition is now open for young people aged 25 and under.
Mr Chaffey said the 2026 Raise Our Voice in Parliament campaign was underway, and he urged young people to take the opportunity to have their ideas heard.
“This competition asks people to write a 90-second speech that answers the question, ‘What is one big issue shaping your future, and what is a meaningful action you want Parliament to take on it?’,” Mr Chaffey said.
“Selected speeches will be read out by elected members in Parliament during Youth Voice in Parliament Week from 12-15 October. It would be great to have young voices from across the electorate of Parkes heard.”
Submissions close on 7 August, 2026. More information can be found on the website at https://raiseourvoiceaustralia.com including a school toolkit.