Research leads to reward for interns

The 43 students from five universities had a front row seat to the public policy process throughout 2024 as part of the Victorian Parliamentary Internship Program.

They each worked with a Member of Parliament to produce a report on matters including housing, education, Artificial Intelligence (AI), unemployment and nuclear energy.

‘Members have commented on the very high standard of your reports and work over the last few months,’ Legislative Assembly Speaker Maree Edwards said.

More than 1,300 interns have graduated from the program since its inception in 1990, including two current MPs, Nick Staikos and Gaelle Broad.

‘This is a valuable program. We do take it seriously and it makes us be better legislators,’ Mr Staikos said.

‘I know you have put in a huge amount of effort, and it doesn’t go unnoticed. We do really appreciate the work that you do,’ Ms Broad said.

Presiding Officers’ Prizes are awarded to the most outstanding research from University of Melbourne, Monash University, La Trobe University, Australian Catholic University and Swinburne University of Technology.

The winners are chosen by the academic supervisors who assess the students' reports.

‘It really gave me a look into how parliament works, but also the amazing role MPs play,’ Swinburne University of Technology Presiding Officers’ Prize winner Zuzanna Kaczynska said.

‘I got to combine my interdisciplinary knowledge from studying law, politics and economics at university, and it really improved my research skills,’ La Trobe University Presiding Officer’s Prize winner Hilary MacRae said.

The graduation ceremony in Queen’s Hall at Parliament House also acknowledged the hard work of staff from the Parliamentary Library.