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

We also demonstrated that we are serious about action in this area. The member opposite has very kindly mentioned the 2020 Summit. I would like to inform him that earlier today the Prime Minister and I announced that the government will provide $10 million for the development of arts, business and community youth centres to encourage community based activities. This was one of the 10 recommendations from the Youth 2020 Summit when 100 young people from right around Australia came forward and put their views to government. Thank you for reminding me of that. These centres will offer a safe place for young people to socialise, as well as develop their skills in education, training and employment. This is yet another example of how this government is listening to young Australians and also acting on the advice they put forward.

Also announced earlier this morning was the inaugural Prime Minister’s Australian Youth Forum challenge, which will make available $120,000 in grants as part of a national competition for young people to get creative about how they get active and get other young people in their communities active and involved in their causes.

The third announcement which was made as part of the national strategy was in relation to violence. The Prime Minister has outlined that he has asked the Minister for Home Affairs to work with state ministers to work on the advice of our police commissioners to identify how best to tackle youth violence on our streets. We will have more to say on this very soon. We hear the community when they say that enough is enough. We hear the young people when they say that they want to be safe and secure when they are with their friends.

We are very serious about this national strategy for young Australians. We are serious about the national conversation and we are asking all MPs to become involved in their own communities by hosting forums in their own electorates. We have given resources to all members to ensure that they do that. We are also encouraging young people to become involved. If your local member does not take up the invitation to host one of the forums, we would ask that they access the website at www.youth.gov.au. Thank you.

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