Ann Sudmalis (Gilmore, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

This bill for an act to amend the law relating to social security for related purposes opens the door of opportunity for the Green Army projects to be rolled out. The Green Army is a hands-on, practical, grassroots environmental action program that supports local environment and heritage conservation projects across Australia. Young Australians aged 17 to 24 will have a chance to gain training and experience in environmental and heritage conservation fields, and explore careers in conservation management. Our youth will build on their levels of self-confidence, while participating in projects that generate real benefits for the Australian environment.

Green Army teams of 10, up to nine participants and one team supervisor, will be working across the country to help local communities deliver local outcomes. The Green Army Programme is ongoing, and initially up to $300 million is available over three years from 1 July 2014. The program will support 250 projects this year, 500 in 2015-16, and 750 in 2016-17. We have heard that those opposite see this proposal as a way of displacing existing workers. There is apparently considerable confusion on the other side about the program rollout. These Green Army projects are not a part of the existing project line-up of works for councils, but are additional wish list projects that currently have no money for labour.

The previous Green Corps projects were extremely well coordinated, with an excellent array of courses that equipped young people with skills and a work ethic that enabled them to enter the workforce, and many of them did. This is not designed to be a direct work pathway, but more importantly it is a preparation to be work ready, to be work motivated, and to have a successful outcome behind them so they have something to build on for their future. In no way is the Green Army a substitute workforce, and to interpret this legislation in that way is just wrong. Those opposite even refer to these young people as volunteers. One of the previous speakers used this exact term. These young people are not workers, they are volunteers, and as a consequence there are different regimes that support this scheme.

The previous schemes were effective and successful, trying not to be distracted by red tape implications. This legislation is about people and human capacity. This truly is a value for money initiative, with overlapping benefits. A sound approach to our future is to have different portfolios overlap for increased benefit. So how do we evaluate the interaction between youth initiatives that build self esteem, the environmental benefit, and the economic benefit of the future? To coldly dismiss the human capacity of our unemployed youth is callous at best, and discriminatory at worst. Environmental repair does not have to be done solely by experts. In fact some catchment management authorities actively advise that bush regeneration can be achieved in overgrazed paddocks by simply closing the gates.

Green Army participants will most likely be engaged full-time for around about 30 hours per week on a project, and they will undertake formal training in areas such as work readiness, conservation and land management, heritage conservation, leadership, project and human resource management, and trades. Where possible the young people who are part of this scheme will be assisted to obtain Certificate I or Certificate II qualifications. Extra units may also be undertaken towards more advanced levels. All participants will be paid an allowance.

The concept of a group of young people working on an environmental project for community benefit is not new to Gilmore. In the past there were a number of very successful Green Corps projects. Many of the mangroves and casuarinas on the banks of the Shoalhaven River are testimony to the great work that was done. Over the last years, Charlie Weir has become the celebrated mangrove man, working as an amazing volunteer to continue this work, growing and planting seedlings to prevent riverbank erosion since the program was shut down by the previous government. The Rivercare group are eagerly awaiting the resumption of this great program.

Some of the participants from those earlier programs found a love of the outdoors, going on to get work on golf courses, with landscape businesses and bush regeneration projects, and even treating noxious weeds. But, overall, the self-esteem developed by these young people is beyond financial measure. The skills learned then are also expected from the new programs, including the development of effective workplace communication and the development of confidence and motivation to remain strongly connected to the community and community service activities. This is an opportunity to develop a work ethic, including team work, and achieve a level of personal positive growth. These are practical skills and attributes that are relevant to gaining ongoing employment, and the training options are some of the best foundations for future work. The additional aspects of the Green Army projects where planning, problem solving and progress review are essential will always stand these young people in good stead for future employment. In addition, they will have a chance to develop a network of industry contacts, training providers and community members. These provide opportunities for ongoing employment and training, assisting them to make informed career and work choices into their future based on the experiences gained from the project.

Gilmore already has a commitment for four Green Army projects and I will be proud to see them start in the new financial year. One project is based on the bushland area near Jerrara dam. This is an area in Kiama that has been worked on for many years by Neil Hawkins and landcare groups to re-establish native species and replant many of the trees that were harvested for timber in the settlement days. This arboretum will gain low-impact pathways, possible plant identifiers and bush regeneration. Eventually, the local community would like to see an outdoor classroom in this location.

The second project is in the Killalea State Park, part of the South Coast Network and established in consultation with the Shellharbour City Council. The rangers and training teams are well prepared and well structured for the benefit of the young people to be involved. This a missing link between two significant and iconic locations, Shellharbour village and Killalea, providing tourism outcomes and opportunities for local residents. This is a great connection between a built-up urban area and a spectacular passive environmental area with famous surfing beaches.

In the Shoalhaven, we need urgent riverbank treatment to prevent further flood scouring and to maintain the land mass between farmland, a road reserve and Bolong Road, which is an alternative route for the South Coast when the Princes Highway is closed due to accidents. This project will have the combined efforts of council, farm owners, Rivercare and businesses, all working with the Green Army for a great outcome. A second Shoalhaven project in Lake Conjola builds on the original work carried out by a similar program more than 20 years ago, but the work was not completed. The foreshore needs repair and extensive replanting is required to protect the edge and preserve the area.

The Social Security Legislation Amendment (Green Army Programme) Bill 2014 has a multitude of benefits for many, initially by allowing the appropriate financial set-up and support systems so that it is responsible in the way the taxpayer dollar is used and, more importantly, by allowing young people who wish to engage with their community to have an opportunity to learn work skills and team contribution and to build self-esteem. At the same time, the community will gain from the human potential being expressed and the improvement to an environmental asset. There would be very few who would not recognise the amazing potential of this scheme, particularly in a regional area with significant levels of youth unemployment.

It is important with this bill that we ensure that the young participants will be in receipt of a single scheme of taxpayer financial support. The Green Army allowance is a great way to assist these young people while they get involved in a program that already has a proven record of success in Gilmore. The only possibly disappointing part of this program is the dark cloud developing from those members sitting opposite and their colleagues in the Senate. Mr Deputy Speaker, you might ask why this is the case. The Green Army Program is part of a suite of changes that will allow young people the right to get training and participate in a great community project. It is possible that those on the other side of this chamber may choose to block these changes in the Senate. They may put their political agenda as the most important task they have in this House rather than the welfare of our unemployed youth.

For six months now, I have witnessed legislation placed before the members opposite that had some incorporated Labor commitments that were stated and advertised before the last election. Yes, I did say we have taken some of their commitments into our own legislative agenda. What is the reason for my concern? Those opposite have rejected these very pieces of legislation in the Senate. There is absolutely no consistency at all. As a new member of parliament, I find this somewhat confusing. We are 150 representatives for our nation and I believe we are here for the overall betterment of Australia. One of the most significant issues for us all is, of course, youth unemployment.

Many Australians who are usually not too interested in politics are also confused. We have all been waiting for the Senate and those opposite to realise that they actually lost the election. The overall vote in Australia told us that the everyday Aussie wanted a change in direction. We went to the election with a very explicit set of commitments. The Australian voters have put their faith in us to fix what we all saw as a nation in decline. Signals such as debt climbing to levels never seen before, unemployment by Labor's own estimates set to increase and policies made on the hop with little thought as to the consequences all made Australians vote for change.

The Green Army Program is symbolic of this change. It is environmentally worthy. It offers personal growth for many unemployed youth to re-engage with the community at so many different levels, and it is part of a legislative program for change. There are many groups in Gilmore eagerly awaiting the rollout of this program. In fact, there are community groups that have given me additional possibilities for other sites where this program would work and work well. The projects in Shellharbour, Kiama and the Shoalhaven will most likely address the needs of some of our Indigenous youth who have yet to gain employment. In particular, our Indigenous young people find it a great way to mix with other members of the community. The level of cooperation between young people of many different experiences and backgrounds who have never before worked together or socialised is heart-warming.

We as a community need projects like the Green Army to engage youth, to grow their potential and capitalise on their ability to really get involved, which is very often their most important desire. I wonder if those in opposition have any idea how projects such as the Green Army will change the lives of these young people, build their self-belief and reinforce to the community at large that they have the potential to give back to their nation, that they are wonderful contributors and that they are valuable and worth our every effort to re-engage. We owe these young people our assistance in the construction of their self-belief, as they acknowledge their own value and growing confidence. We owe it to them to help them to stop living in a holding pattern of unemployment and disengagement. In so many cases this can lead to social isolation, depression and other mental illness behaviours. I wonder if those opposite have the courage to put aside their political agenda for the sake of our youth. The moral fibre here is to look after our young people rather than look after our own political position. Surely, that is our task, first and foremost. Will those opposite cast doubt, yet again, on such a great initiative? Will they finally decide that, for the greater good of our nation, they should allow this legislation to actually pass in the Senate?

Perhaps it is also time for those opposite to acknowledge that pure ideology is no justification for their 'no' position on the repeals of the carbon tax and the minerals resource rent tax—both of which are impacting on the ability of businesses to offer employment. This impact is not just on our youth but also on other people unable to find employment, although they truly do want to work. These two taxes increase input costs on business, slowing growth and reducing the bottom line—both of which are reducing potential employment. Our youth, our Australian families and our businesses are all experiencing the negative fallout from the political posturing of those opposite. Our government as a whole owes to the people of Australia stability and a positive financial outlook that will lead to opportunities in employment.

The Green Army is a very symbolic example of a program that encapsulates optimism for the future. We have a difficult legacy to overcome, and the Green Army is one step in addressing youth unemployment. That should be a priority for us all. Previous speakers referred to the naivety of this program. I invite all of you to come to Gilmore to see the successful evidence of the work done. Talk to our Rivercare and Landcare groups rather than spruiking ill-informed opinions. Come and see with your own eyes and talk to the supervisors, who cannot wait to see the program reintroduced. I commend this bill.

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