Kate Ellis (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Early Childhood Education, Childcare and Youth) Share this | Hansard source

It was a timely question, indeed, with the release today of the State of Australia’s Young People report showing once more that today’s young people face a range of issues and concerns which are unique to their generation—cyber bullying, body image and unprecedented levels of violence and devastation in street assaults, to name a few. These are all issues which those opposite showed they were not interested in during their 12 years in government when they sidelined youth and abolished the portfolio, but they are issues which we take very seriously. In light of this, the Prime Minister has announced the government’s development of a national strategy for young Australians. The truth is that it is in all of our interests to ensure that young people are supported in their families and in their communities, that they are well served in the education and training sector, that they have access to early intervention services and programs to get their lives back on track, that they are equipped for their future employment, that they are aware of both their rights and responsibilities. These will form the core of the national strategy.

We also know that the only way to provide tangible and long-term results in these areas is by working in direct partnership with young people, as well as with their families and their communities. That is why earlier this morning, in an interactive launch out at Lyneham High School with students from years 9 and 10 and with the Prime Minister technologically armed in his office with a live blog and tweets with young people right around Australia, we launched the national conversation, a series of meetings, forums and online activities right around the country, which will engage in real discussion and real action as part of this national strategy.

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