Tony Zappia (Makin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak about World Youth Day. Along with my wife, Vicki, on 17 July I attended the public welcome for His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI at Barangaroo on Sydney Harbour. Being at Sydney Harbour with tens of thousands of people from around Australia and from all parts of the world for this special occasion has left my wife and me with one of our most memorable moments. The previous day I had represented the government at a World Youth Day event at Luna Park, where the young Christian people presented me, as the government representative, and Bishop Eugene Hurley, the Catholic Bishop of Darwin, representing the Catholic Church, with their vision statement for the world. They titled their statement ‘Act today, change tomorrow’. I want to now read the full text of that statement into Hansard and, in doing so, to say that, whilst I acknowledge that the statement has a Catholic religious relevance, it is just as relevant to all people, whether they are Christians or non-Christians.

A division having been called in the House of Representatives—

Just before the interruption I was about to quote the statement that was prepared by the young Christians at the World Youth Day event, where I, representing the government, went to receive that statement. The statement is titled ‘Act today, change tomorrow’. I read:

On 16 July 2008 at World Youth Day in Sydney, 2000 young people gathered to discuss the joys and struggles that young people experience each day. In light of this reality, and our own Catholic faith, we affirm the following:

Each human being is created in God’s image and has fundamental dignity. We are entitled to a life lived “in abundance” according to God’s vision …

All young people have a right to health, shelter, employment and education. We should be free from the inequality created by social sins, such as unjust trade systems, corruption and unbridled consumerism.

All people need community. Our relationships, faith communities and societies must offer us support and help us to grow in ability and character. They should reflect Jesus’ selfless love and must be free from violence, prejudice and exploitation.

All young people need to be empowered to live with meaning and purpose. We must have opportunities to develop an active spirituality and to discover the deepest meaning of our lives.

This is the vision of God. It is the Christian vision for “fullness of life” … However, the real lives of young people, and the world in which they live, often contradict this vision.

Where this is the case, we believe that God calls us to be apostles. We must work for social and personal transformation, including a radical reevaluation of our priorities. In this we are inspired by Christ, who gave his whole self to bring freedom to captives and true life to the world.

We call upon young people to take action against situations and structures that prevent us all from living abundantly, free from poverty, violence, division and despair. It is the role of every Christian to change these situations in light of the Gospel.

We call upon young people to ask critical questions, to reject consumerism, to live authentically and engage others in the struggle for love and justice, by freely sharing their experiences and convictions.

We call upon Church leaders to collaborate with young people, to listen to them, and to proclaim the Gospel in a way that is relevant and inspires action.

We call upon Church leaders to stand with those denied abundance of life, and to call for change where it is needed.

We call upon governments and non-government institutions to hear and respond to young people’s issues and concerns, and to help young people meet their basic needs through policies that promote equity and sustainability.

We commit to working together, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to bring about a new world for this generation—one which reflects more fully our dream and the dream of God.

That statement, as I said earlier, perhaps reflects the Christian values of the young people who put it together, but it also reflects the values of so many other young people in this country. It is a statement that I believe is very well put together. I commend and congratulate the young people who prepared the statement for their leadership, their inspirational vision, their compassion, their faith and their concern for people and for the environment. I was impressed by these young people and I felt honoured to have accepted this statement on behalf of the government.