Training tomorrow’s leaders
The Australasian Union of Jewish Students held its annual Political Training Seminar in Canberra earlier this month.
MORE than 50 future Jewish community leaders descended on Canberra for the Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS)’s 21st annual Political Training Seminar earlier this month.
Participants asked questions of Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Deputy Opposition Leader Richard Marles, Greens leader Richard Di Natale and others, in addition to attending a panel with high-profile press gallery correspondents.
“Our nation’s leaders got a grilling from Jewish students eager to learn more,” AUJS political director and incoming 2020 national chairperson Joshua Kirsh said.
“Whether about the day-to-day work of politics or an issue that they cared about, it was incredible to see students take up the opportunity with gusto.”
Following a visit to the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House, participants visited Parliament House “armed only with knowledge about the speakers who would be attending, as well as pen and paper” to grill the nation’s politicians.
“Our participants made the best of their short window in the proximity of Australia’s leading political actors,” Kirsh said.
He said the journalism panel, moderated by the Sydney Morning Herald’s Max Koslowski, and featuring The Australian’s Rosie Lewis, The Guardian’s Paul Karp and Australian Financial Review’s Andrew Tillett, gave participants “insight into political journalism and the importance of the fourth estate in our political ecosystem”.
Israeli ambassador Mark Sofer then imparted his wisdom, sending students home energised and ready to participate in the political process.
“What our students saw over our two days in parliament was that when they leaned into the nuance of their concerns, they received answers that respected that nuance and reflected a deep engagement with the issues they care about,” Kirsh said.
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