Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Last month I was joined by my colleagues the member for Paterson and the Minister for Youth to host the Newcastle Youth Forum. The Newcastle Youth Forum was attended by young people aged 16 to 24 from across Newcastle and the Hunter region and provided an opportunity for participants to communicate directly with the minister about their priorities and the issues that impact most on them and their peers. Attendees were particularly asked to highlight the priorities for young people in our region and brainstorm how they would tackle these issues—and they certainly delivered. The young attendees spoke passionately about a diverse range of matters, including housing affordability, mental health, climate change, support for live music, youth safety, and cost-of-living measures. They also shared their diverse lived experiences and proposed some very creative solutions to the social and policy challenges that we confront each day.

Many young people don't feel heard in this country, but it's our job in this parliament to ensure that everyone is heard. The youth of today are our future, which is why it is so critical that they are part of the conversation. As a government we are working hard to continue these conversations with young people across the country, to hear their ideas and listen to their personal experiences. I'd like to express my sincere gratitude to all the young people who attended the Newcastle Youth Forum for their passion, determination and creative thinking.

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