When did you realize for the first time you would run for office to change things in your own community or country?

In 1998 the Black Ferns New Zealand Women's Rugby Team won the inaugural Rugby World Cup. As a proud member of this team I was upset that the then Labour Party Leader and future Prime Minister Helen Clark had not acknowledged our victory. On a plane from Wellington to Auckland I had an opportunity to talk to her about this and her response was to engage in a conversation, to find out who I was and then to personally invite me to a function that she was hosting in her electorate. I went, I joined the Labour Party and I have been a member for nearly 15 years. Through this association I stood for selection, became a member of parliament and since 26 November 2011, I have been the MP for the electorate of Manurewa.

What benefits do you think your activities in parliament bring to the community you represent?

I am an electorate MP and represent all constituents of Manurewa. Our office is very busy supporting people, primarily in their interaction with government departments. We are their advocate and ensure they understand the public system and how their needs can be met. It is my responsibility that citizens receive they support they are entitled to.

Being an MP is always hard work but sometimes very rewarding. Is there an act, a bill, or a particular situation that made you feel proud of what you have done as an MP?

In this term of office my Members bill to enable marriage equality in NZ was passed - so legislative change as an opposition back bencher has produced a positive outcome for the LGBTI community, not only in my electorate but for all New Zealanders. Equality and non-discrimination were principles articulated throughout the passage of my Marriage Amendment legislation, as well as a clear understanding of the separation of church and state and, in a modern democracy, all citizens being treated equally by the state.

On 15 September 2013, MPs and citizens from around the world will celebrate the International Day of Democracy in different ways. How will you celebrate the Day?

The 15 September 2013 is a very special day for the New Zealand Labour Party. On this day we will choose our new leader, who will be voted into this role by members of our caucus, our party and our affiliates, in a process used for the first time. So, I will absolutely be celebrating democracy within the context of the New Zealand Labour Party of which I am so proud to represent. One of the principles of the New Zealand Labour Party is that political authority comes from the people by democratic means and this fits with the purpose of the International Day of Democracy, which is to promote and uphold the principles of democracy.

Which book, movie, speech or quote would you suggest to people who would like to strengthen their voice?

"It always seems impossible until it's done." Nelson Mandela.

When did you realize for the first time you would run for office to change things in your own community or country?

Ironically I never liked politics and I was critical of it - I believe that attitude indirectly brought me into politics. However, the urge to fight against the victimization of women has been in me since childhood, so the older I grew the louder this voice became. Volunteer work, together with my interest in organizing and mobilizing youth and women to become more aware of their rights and responsibilities, culminated in me being in parliament where the real politics is played.

What benefits do you think your activities in parliament bring to the community you represent?

I joined parliament (at the end of 2010) when Afghanistan was going through a tough time and women's rights were more challenging than before because of a diminishing interest in Afghanistan from the West due to the economic recession and the gradual withdrawal of Western troops, which have negatively affected all areas of development in Afghanistan, especially its security. This insecurity has meant that I haven’t been able to make an impact to the level that I wanted to bring to my constituency. However, I was still able to raise my voice for women's rights and youth empowerment in parliament. I believe that doing so encourages others who believe in these values to stand up for their rights and believe in their own ability to bring about positive change in the country. For example, when I raised for the first time in parliament the issue of participation of women in the Afghan Supreme Court, it seemed to be a strict taboo but by continuing to speak out, more people - in particular politicians - have been encouraged to take this topic more seriously and now it is not only my fight but the fight of many parliamentarians and women activists.

Is there an act, a bill or a particular situation that made you feel proud of what you have done as an MP?

Fighting for democracy in a war-affected country, where fundamentalists and extremists are the biggest barriers to development, is very challenging but there are also times when the problems give you energy to continue the fight. When I received the N-PEACE award by UNDP for promoting democracy and its values, it made me realize that no matter how challenging our job as parliamentarians is and however much we might be dissatisfied with the outcomes, there is still recognition of our struggle to achieve our aims. Getting the award has only increased my desire to work for the betterment of my country and people.

As an N-PEACE winner in 2012, I was involved in choosing a candidate for this year’s role model for peace. I nominated Masouda Karokhi, an MP from Herat province, who has been fighting for democracy, justice and women's rights through more than three decades of war. Her victory in winning the award gave me the privilege of being part of the effort which empowers Afghan women. However, I know I have a long road ahead of me and need to work hard to be able to serve the Afghan nation, especially young people and women who have suffered the most.

How will you be celebrating the International Day of Democracy on 15 September 2013?

By trying to raise public awareness.

Which book, movie, speech or quote would you suggest to people who would like to strengthen their voice?

“You never fail until you stop trying.” Albert Einstein

When did you realize for the first time you would run for office to change things in your own community or country?

When, at the age of 19, I revealed I was an HIV carrier contracted from imported blood products, I never thought I would be an MP. However, I met some MPs and it made me realize the power of politics. I eventually decided to run for office to stop more people suffering from pharmaceutical negligence. When I was elected an MP for the first time in 2007 at the age of 31, I came with the strong belief that politics can create a society that puts the highest priority on life.

What benefits do you think your activities in parliament bring to the community you represent?

I have proven that even an HIV carrier or a rare disease patient can play a role in parliament. I have shown that anyone can be elected independently without belonging to a political party. As an independent MP, I have been able to advance policies by legislating bills and laws, raising arguments in parliament and negotiating with bureaucrats on behalf of others.

What has made you feel proud of your achievements as an MP?

Letters, faxes and emails of thanks from the people I am campaigning for and their families.

On 15 September 2013, MPs and citizens from all around the world will be marking the International Day of Democracy. How will you celebrate

15 September is also the Japanese national day for respecting older people and I want to promote this day as the International day of Democracy as well. First of all I hope to celebrate the Day with my family and friends.

Which book, movie, speech or quote would you suggest to people who would like to strengthen their voice?

“Revolution of the Socially Vulnerable in the U.S.” and “How to Find the Truth of the World” by Mika Tsutsumi. Both books are published in Japan, written in Japanese only.

When did you realize for the first time you would run for office to change things in your own community or country?

I first ran for public office in 1976 when I was 23. I had been a community organizer in a very low income community in Vancouver and felt that by running for city council I could help make sure our community was not ignored. I didn't win the first couple times, but went on to serve five terms as a Vancouver City Councillor.

What benefits do you think your activities in parliament bring to the community you represent?

Representing my community in our federal Parliament means making sure the issues and voices in the community are heard and acted upon. The issues in my federal riding are complex and not the standard fare. So it’s important to be bold and speak out.

Is there an act, a bill or a particular situation that has made you feel proud of what you have done as an MP?

I'm proud to be an MP that speaks out for the human rights of my constituents who are IV drug users. People with HIV/AIDS who use drugs are often demonized and as a result suffer much pain and harm.

On 15 September 2013, MPs and citizens from all around the world will be marking the International Day of Democracy. How will you celebrate

I will celebrate September 15, International Day of Democracy, by actively participating in the "Truth and Reconciliation" process and events, in British Colombia (B.C.): "For more than 120 years thousands of Aboriginal children in B.C. were sent to Indian Residential Schools, funded by the federal government and run by churches. They were taken from their families and communities in order to be stripped of language, cultural identity and traditions". (Quote from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission).

Which book, movie, speech or quote would you suggest to people who would like to strengthen their voice?

One of my favourite books is a small book of poetry by Bud Osborn that includes his poem "Amazingly Alive".

Politics is first and foremost a vocation. When did you realize that you wanted to run for election in a bid to change things in your town or country?

I realized that I wanted to run for election in order to change things in my country in 1992. For 30 years our country had had a single party system characterized by injustice based on ethnic and regional divisions, with the party faithful filling their pockets with the country’s wealth and ordinary citizens having no one to speak on their behalf.

In your opinion, what do your activities in parliament bring to the citizens you represent?

My activities in parliament bring something to the citizens I represent because they see the fruit of what I do in my individual capacity to help them in terms of health care, water supply and providing assistance to women’s associations. And afterwards, when they hear that their concerns have been raised during oral questions to members of the government.

Being a parliamentarian always implies a lot of work, but can at times be very gratifying. Is there a law, a bill or a particular situation in which you have been involved of which you are proud as an MP?

Yes, I am proud of initiating and spearheading a parliamentary inquiry within the context of the Social Affairs Committee that I chair. That inquiry shed light on the misappropriation of funds from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria by civil society organizations. Those funds had been frozen by the Global Fund and our proposals and recommendations helped free them up to the great relief of the beneficiaries and the government.

Which book, movie, speech or quote would you suggest to people who would like to strengthen their voice?

“The love of equality, in a democracy, restricts ambition to a single desire, the sole happiness to serve one’s country better than other citizens. They cannot all serve it equally; but they must all equally serve it. At our coming into the world, we contract an immense debt to our country, which we can never discharge”. (Montesquieu)

When did you realize for the first time you would run for office to change things in your own community or country?

I never considered my political commitment as a career. I have always followed politics from the outside and in 1993 I said yes to the proposal to run for office with “Forza Italia”. It all got started from there.

What do you think is the best way for you and your colleagues to reduce the democracy gap between politicians and citizens?

By living in the midst of citizens. Taking public transportation, shopping, listening to what people are saying. And then, of course, personally replying to emails and using social media to speak and to respond.

Is there an act, a bill or a particular situation that has made you feel proud of what you have done as an MP?

The Law to facilitate the access of disabled people to public administration websites and the work done to improve it. Also, the positive responses from my constituency to my requests for works and projects in recent years.

On 15 September 2013, MPs and citizens from all around the world will celebrate the International Day of Democracy. How will you celebrate the Day?

By spreading news about the International Day of Democracy in my online spaces and talking to people I meet.

Which book, movie, speech or quote would you suggest to people who would like to strengthen their voice?

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." It’s a quote by former US President Theodore Roosevelt. It indicates that each of us, if moved by will, can change things for the better, without waiting until conditions are ideal for action. Change starts with ourselves.

When did you realize you would run for office to change things in your own community or country?

In 2008, Iceland fell into a void of a massive financial collapse, the world’s third largest financial collapse in human history. This was a rude awakening for many. A profound understanding emerged that everything we had put our trust in had failed us. All the pillars of our democracy where shaken and many grassroots groups emerged from the fertile ground of the crisis. Most of these groups were begging for answers from the government and also looking for the root cause of how this could happen. Being a longtime activist, I was someone people looked to in order to get practical advice in relation to protests.

Eventually these grass-roots groups transformed into a joint effort to run for parliament with a horizontal hit and run political movement. The chief policy was democratic reform beyond party politics; a new constitution written for and by the people of Iceland; increased transparency and accountability; and severing ties between the corporate and the state. The party was called the Civic Movement and it would dissolve once it became obvious whether or not we could achieve our goals. None of us had any dreams of being a parliamentarian beforehand, nor consider it our long term job. We were officially created eight weeks prior to elections in the aftermath of Iceland’s ‘soft’ revolution in early 2009 and I was asked to lead one of the electoral lists. We got more than 7% of the vote. I still consider myself an activist and I don’t like to be defined as politician, so a friend created a new term for me, a Poetician.

What benefits do you think your activities in parliament bring to the community you represent?

I have stressed the importance of collaborations between parliamentarians across parties ever since I was trusted to work in parliament on behalf of my voters. In the wake of the crisis there were a lot of discussions on how the parliament had become a mere processing machine for bills coming from the ministries. Strengthening democracy and opening up processes to the scrutiny of the general public was a campaign promise I managed to honour. I also promised to explain the unwritten rules and codes within parliament so that people would better understand how it works. I helped with the process of the legal framework for national referendums and put forward suggestions on how to learn from the harsh lessons of financial collapse.

What, in particular, has made you feel proud of what you have done as an MP?

There are many milestones but I guess the entire process around the Icelandic Modern Media Initiative (IMMI) has been the most rewarding. I managed to put forward a parliamentary resolution, known as IMMI.is, tasking the Icelandic government to change or write from scratch ten different laws in four different ministries in order to make Iceland a safe haven for freedom of information, expression and speech in the 21st century. Not only did I get MPs from all parties to sponsor it with me, but the resolution was passed unanimously in April 2010. It sets new standards for how we make laws within this field and reflects the importance of whistleblowers, journalism, source protection, freedom of information and protection of material once it is online. The new government in Iceland has pledged to carry on the work of implementing the laws. My first request that the Foreign Affairs Committee host a meeting with HH Dalai Lama, was also very rewarding.

On 15 September 2013, MPs and citizens from all around the world will celebrate the International Day of Democracy. What will you be doing?

The day has not formally been celebrated in Iceland, so I will do my best to discuss with my fellow parliamentarians how we can celebrate it in the future. I will also mention it in a speech and write an article about direct democracy.

Which book, movie, speech or quote would you suggest to people who would like to strengthen their voice?

Books: “This Machine Kills Secrets” by Andy Greenburg and “Horizontalism” edited by Marina Sitrin. Movies: “The Take”, “Debtocracy” and “The War You Don't See”. Speeches: “I Have a Dream” by Martin Luther King Jr. and “The Greatest Speech Ever Made” by Charlie Chaplin. Quote: “It is better to be hated for what you are then loved for what you are not.” by Andre Gide. Poem: “Never Give Up”, by Dalai Lama & Ron Whitehead.

Amongst its main activities, M.A.D.E. museum aims to engage people with democracy. Why did you decide to launch the MOVEMENT campaign targeted to young Australians?and what is it all about?

We knew from research and those we spoke to that many of the Millennial Generation (born 1982 – 2003) care deeply about societal issues, yet a large number have disconnected from formal political processes. So how were we to reach out to the Millennials, who are the largest generation in the country and, of course, our future? How could we hear what they think and learn from the ways they are doing democracy differently from their parents and grandparents? We came to the conclusion that part of the answer lies in going where the Millennials already are: pop culture, online and social media. To that end we’ve formed quite an extraordinary alliance with two corporate partners who are very much in that space, with support from some of the nation’s largest youth and social action groups, the House of Representatives at Australian Parliament House and a host of great thinkers and leaders.

What benefits do you think the MOVEMENT campaign will bring to the Australian community as a whole?

We bring MOVEMENT to life on September 15 but International Day of Democracy is just the start of what we hope will become a platform for many, many Millennial voices and potential leaders. All generations have a lot to learn from each other so it is really important that younger people feel they can be heard and have the potential to change things for the better. As chance would have it, the MOVEMENT campaign will run over the crucial first 100 days of a new Australian Government, as our Federal Election is on September 7. How great would it be if more Millennial views were taken into account during the crafting of policies that will greatly affect their future?

Running a museum is not easy but sometimes is very rewarding. Is there a compliment, an email received from a visitor or a particular situation that made you feel proud forWhat has made you feel proud of what you do at M.A.D.E?

In a stable, prosperous country like Australia, it can be easy to take democracy for granted. At M.A.D.E, we’ve used some really immersive techniques to try to capture people’s hearts as well as their minds. The sort of thing I mean is the highly emotive music in the ‘Power of Numbers’ exhibit so visitors feel the power of a few that reach critical mass to effect change - that many voices – in this case a choir – can bring. I love hearing students describe M.A.D.E as ‘fun’ and ‘cool’ yet it’s also really pleasing that there’s a historic and intellectual depth to the museum that prompts a political leader, like Premier of our State of Victoria, Denis Napthine, to say: "It’s a great centre to highlight the importance of freedom, democracy, mateship and a fair go."

On 15 September 2013, MPs and citizens from all around the world will be marking the International Day of Democracy. How will you celebrate

With great delight I will be watching the MOVEMENT website go live and the national campaign begin.

Which book, movie, speech or quote would you suggest to people who would like to strengthen their voice?

I was incredibly moved on August 28 when Indigenous Australian Leader, Mark Yettica- Paulson, commemorated this year’s 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s ‘I Had a Dream’ speech. As the campaign for Australia’s Constitution to recognise the country’s First People and define equality for all Australians continues, Mark linked the dream of Dr King to the ‘Big Dreaming’ at the heart of Australian Indigenous culture and the contemporary Australian dream of what our nation could be. He outlined how powerful moments in history occur when a voice names an injustice, has a vision for change and inspires people with a call to action. Mark said we ‘need to practice not letting racism spoil our sense of community’. When he called for Australians to take their dream ‘into a new reality, express it openly and honestly and fulfil the promise of our own nation’, I had tears in my eyes.

When did you realize for the first time you would run for office to change things in your own community or country?

When my four-year-old daughter had a brain tumour while I was serving in the military, I had wonderful care for her, and today she is 12-years-old…going on 22! Politics became a 'pay-back' tour to my nation, for the healthcare it provided for her while I was in the Navy.

What benefits do you think your activities in parliament bring to the community you represent?

Accountability for service. We kept the office open seven days a week, late into the night, so everyone could have access to their public servant and how he might serve them - from social security concerns to veteran benefits, small business challenges and the impact of autism on families. This helped me construct better legislation and governance in serving them.

Is there an act, a bill, an email received from a constituent that has made you feel proud of what you have done as an MP?

Several, including the letter from a son who thanked me for visiting his father in his bedroom to award him a long-lost medal for his service in World War II….and he sat up to salute me. He reminded me that we cannot do better for ourselves than by serving others above ourselves…as that gentleman did for America.

On 15 September 2013, MPs and citizens from around the world will celebrate the International Day of Democracy in different ways. How will you celebrate the Day?

A remembrance that all human beings yearn for the same ideal for themselves: to be treated as they deserve to be treated, in a just political system, a democracy when it is at its best.

Which book, movie, speech or quote would you suggest to people who would like to strengthen their voice?

Too many, but “Leadership” by James MacGregor Burns is a wonderful insight on leadership that serves.