Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am pleased to report to the House on the Shire 2020+ Youth Summit held in my electorate on 18 July in partnership with the member for Hughes at the local retirement village of Waterbrook at Yowie Bay. Joining us as event patrons were local and National Rugby League legend Jason Stevens and former ironwoman, schoolteacher and President of the Wanda Surf Life Saving Club, Anita Pryke. We were also pleased and honoured to have local Gweagal elder Merv Ryan to provide a welcome to country and join us throughout the day.

The summit was attended by some 50 young shire residents aged between 16 and 24 from all walks of life and backgrounds. Summit delegates debated issues as diverse as the environment and world-class education to youth suicide and depression. The summit made it clear that, while young people expect governments to do their job, they strongly believe the challenge to create a better society does not begin and end with governments.

I was encouraged by the importance our younger generation placed on community and the need to take a proactive role to provide a positive future and confront problems in our society. With the proliferation of technology, where it is easier to text someone than talk to them, there was a strong sense of the need to get back to basics with our relationships and take a greater personal interest in the welfare of others, especially locally.

The summit expressed more specifically a clear desire to create and foster a stronger community among young people in the shire and also between generations. Keenly aware of the impact that economic stress and family breakdown was having on their own generation, delegates also highlighted the need to ensure that young Australians were being taught the life skills for today’s modern world. This included more instruction on managing personal finances, how to have successful personal relationships and generally handling the stresses of modern life.

Delegates also spoke of their willingness to get involved in local community organisations, whether it was sports clubs, lifesaving, bush care groups or our Rural Fire Service. However, they expressed a need to do it in a way that was relevant to their generation. With the average age of volunteers in the 60s, this is a challenge that will require new thinking from our volunteer organisations, supported by governments, on how they recruit and retain younger volunteers.

They also recognised the corrosive effect that negative attitudes and behaviour have on society and how these attitudes manifest themselves through binge drinking, substance abuse, violence and other antisocial activity. Delegates said the challenge was to proactively provide an alternative to these harmful cultures and they are looking for assistance to do just that. They also want more chances for young people in the shire to get together and relate to one another in a more positive and inclusive environment. There was recognition of the need for global action to address climate change but, more significantly, there was a strong commitment for all of us to take steps to ensure we look after our own local environment—our beaches, parks and waterways.

It was a privilege to spend the day with them. Their ideas are summarised on the event’s website, www.shire2020.com.au. I particularly wish to thank Kevin Ryan from Waterbrook as well as my youth liaison officer, Matt Versi, who, together with Britany Kenaly from the office of the member for Hughes, organised and brought the event together. (Time expired)