Torres News: Youth Delegation takes First Nations voices to the heart of governance
Originally Published on 18 September 2025 in Torres news
Rikisha Phineasa says she was especially proud to carry her family name with a delegation to Parliment from the National Indigenous Youth Education Coalition (NIYEC) Youth Design Group late last month.
“I was especially proud to sit in Parliament and carry the name of my family and ancestors of Saibai, Dauan, Mabuiag, and Mer Islands,” she said.
“Like our Elders before us, we are natural-born advocates, carrying the torch forward.”
Rikisha joined a small delegation from NIYEC who travelled to Ngunnawal, Ngambri Country for a special in-person gathering.
An award-winning final-year Law and Arts student at James Cook University, Rikisha is from the Dhoeybaw and Ayth Koedal tribes of Saibai and Dauan Islands and the Wagadagum and Zagareb peoples of Mer and Mabuiag Islands.
She was joined by Sunshine Coast-based Year 11 Badugal high school student Mahalia Karooz.
During their visit, the delegation engaged in meaningful discussions with Federal Member for Bonner Kara Cook, Minister Jess Walsh, a representative from Minister Malarndirri McCarthy’s office, and Mutthi Mutthi and Wamba Wamba Senator Jana Stewart.
Left to right: Rikisha Phineasa, Federal Member for Bonner Kara Cook and Mahalia Karooz.
They also connected with key agencies, including the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA), Department of Education and Office for Youth.
"The NIYEC Youth Design Group's trip to Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country, Canberra, was an inspiring and powerful experience,” Rikisha said.
“As a collective of bright Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (young people), we went straight to the heart of governance, meeting directly with Ministers and MPs.”
The purpose of their visit was to share progress on the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student Congress – the first of its kind in Australia.
Co-designed over the past year with more than 120 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people, the Congress aims to connect the voices of over 100,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students and ensure they help shape decisions that affect their education.
NIYEC Co-Founder, Program and Learning Director and Saibai Island woman Renee Phillips says the Congress is about creating a safe space where high school students can have a real seat at the table.
“Young mob are autonomous learners who bring strength, insight, and lived experience into every learning space,” Renee said.
“They should have the power to determine how learning looks, feels, and works for them.
“Connecting over 100,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students across the country means building a network where they feel seen, heard, and supported to lead collective action.”
For younger members like Mahalia, the trip was a chance to step into a national space and contribute to something bigger.
“Having been involved in NIYEC's Youth Design Group since late 2024, I have been able to watch our ideas to then models, progress through to 2025 with our trip to Parliament House,” Mahalia said.
“Being part of (the YDG) meant a chance to not only build on my skills but to also be a part of a cause bigger than myself, which I found very rewarding.”
The YDG’s visit to Canberra marked a milestone in bringing First Nations students’ voices into national conversations, demonstrating the power and leadership of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in shaping the future of education.
“As my Dad taught me, our Elders always say ‘you mus meke the bamboo streit wile em young,’ and I believe that through NIYEC, we are helping to straighten the bamboo for those who will follow,” Rikisha said.
