AUSTRALIAN youth proved their knowledge of international policy at the Hague International Model United Nations conference.

Scotch Oakburn College student Martika Palmer, 17, was one of 17 Australians chosen from more than 300 around the nation who attended the five-day conference last month that saw delegates debating causes for a nominated country.

``It was quite clear that we knew a lot more about the process and had a lot more general knowledge about the UN and different policies and information about international relations than the other delegates there,'' Martika said.

Her group represented South Africa and she debated for the commission of child protection, receiving one of the best delegate awards for her human rights policies on the last day of the conference.

She said that 14 of the 17 Australians who attended the conference also received best delegate nominations, which she attributed to the dedication of the United Nations Youth organisation in Australia.

``The way that we run UN Youth in Australia is a lot stricter and a lot more realistic than they do over there,'' she said.

Martika, who is on a gap year, said the experience had made her reconsider what sort of degree and career she would undertake.

``You discover when you have such strengths in that area that it is so interesting and the jobs that it can lead to are really interesting,'' she said.

``It has certainly made me change perhaps what uni I might attend and has me leaning towards international relations and politics.''

Martika will work as a facilitator for the United Nations Youth in Tasmania this year, as well as working on the education committee to try to get more young Tasmanians interested in the work of the UN.