Lucy Trenberth (Year 12) has been selected as the Youth MP for Hutt South 2025. As part of this role, she'll represent young people in her community and get a behind-the-scenes look at government in Aotearoa.

When Hon. Chris Bishop introduced Lucy online as the Youth MP for Hutt South he said, "In 2023 [Lucy] conducted a food drive for the Lower Hutt Salvation Army Food Bank and I was really impressed by her social conscience and determination to improve Lower Hutt for young people. Lucy is a very talented sportswoman as well - she plays in her school's Senior A teams for Football, Futsal, Netball, Touch Rugby, and Volleyball. She is a Wellington representative in Futsal, Football and Netball. Where she finds the time I have no idea!".

Q & A with Lucy Trenberth

We asked Lucy to answer some of our questions and tell us her story in her own words:

What do you hope to achieve as Youth MP for Hutt South?

As Youth MP for Hutt South, I want to raise awareness around the challenges many young people face including poverty, food insecurity, and lack of early support. I want to help support youth by advocating for earlier intervention, connecting them with mentors, and creating better connections between young people and organisations that can help them succeed. My goal is to be involved in my local community to hear youth’s ideas and then to ensure their voices are heard to help build a safer, more supportive community in Lower Hutt.

What drew you to this role and what are you most excited about?

I wanted to become a Youth MP as I am passionate about representing and advocating for young people whose voices often go unheard. For example, in some local government surveys, only about 2% of youth respond. I want to help change that. I am most excited about learning more about Parliament and how government works to use that knowledge to better serve my community. Through local sport and school service opportunities like community project, CAS and the general encouragement of ongoing service I have been able to stay connected with the Lower Hutt community and continue to help serve the needs of others. I believe being able to represent and speak up for others in this role is the next step in making a wider impact.

How do you fit this in amongst all your studies and extra-curricular work?

Since starting QMC, life has been progressively more busy with extracurricular activities and school so I have learnt to time manage well using an extensive calendar and by prioritising what matters. I’m already involved in community service through school, and I see being a Youth MP as opportunity as an extension of that work as well as an opportunity to learn. I stay organised and focused by setting clear goals and making sure my commitments align with my values and long-term ambitions, for instance, making a difference for young people in our community.

A big thanks to Lucy Trenberth for answering our questions.