Bridget Archer (Bass, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) 13 November to 16 November 2023 is 'Youth Voice in Parliament Week'; and

(b) the prompt of the 2023 Youth Voice in Parliament Week is 'What change would make Australia a better place for future generations?';

(2) acknowledges our responsibility for protecting the interests of future generations of Australians; and

(3) calls on the Government to consider opportunities to further engage with future generations across all areas of Government policy to secure our nation's long-term prosperity.

There's an air of excitement in the halls this week. November 13 to 16 marks Youth Voice in Parliament Week, which kicks off this week in Canberra. This year, the question is asked: what change would make Australia a better place for future generations? It seems apt for me to share the voice of one young northern Tasmanian who has answered this question. Hazel Doyle was the Bass winner of the Raise Our Voice competition last year and has again submitted a fantastic piece worth raising here today. Fourteen-year-old Hazel says:

What would make Australia a better place for future generations is improvement in the awareness of youth in Australian politics (to an appropriate degree). This would also provide better youth inclusivity in parliament. Not just older youth, for example 18 or 19 year olds, but younger youth as well, like 12 or 13 year olds. As a young person myself, I know that until I got involved with the Raise Our Voice program, I didn't think about our government or decisions being made, or the impact that might have in my future. I wasn't even aware about anything going on and I know the same is true for my friends and other children in similar age groups.

I was told politics was an 'adult thing' and I should not know or talk about it. However, I strongly disagree with that. I think it's very important to make politics and decisions in parliament that impact youth a more common topic to discuss with young people. This would help us to know what is going on in our country, the country we will inherit, and the decisions that will impact us growing up. This will also help us have a more informed perspective and understanding of our country as soon as we turn 18 and are allowed to vote. This means our input through voting is better educated. I believe that this can be achieved by creating political news stories, through a magazine for example that comes from our government, about political decisions that impact youth and are appropriate for youth. We could also make this a more talked about topic in schools, a place that shapes us as people, by encouraging the watching of the show BTN and encouraging conversations about mentioned topics on BTN in class.

Overall, Australian youth needs to be better informed and generally aware about politics that impact them to give us a better educated understanding of our future, especially 18 year olds when it's a first for them being able to vote and have a real say in our future.

What Hazel has outlined in her speech is supported by what I hear when I'm out in my electorate, particularly when I head out to schools, where I'm fortunate to engage in some no-holds-barred Q&A sessions with students. Just a few weeks ago, I was at St Anthony's Catholic School in the West Tamar area, and a student asked me if I thought the voting age should be lowered to 16. The response I gave to the student is also worth sharing today. Lowering the voting age brings a number of complexities and challenges that would need to be worked through. I believe that elected representatives across all levels of government need to engage more deeply with our constituents who do not yet have the privilege of voting. We should be encouraging discussions, feedback and ideas from under-18s and taking these views to Canberra, just as we would for anyone in our electorate of voting age. It's our responsibility to show that their voices are heard and that their views do matter.

I've always spoken out against the notion of creating policy for the short-term electoral cycle, looking beyond to create and enable policies that will deliver long-term solutions to some of the issues that are most concerning our young people today, from climate change to housing affordability, education access and intergenerational equality. With a passion for and a focus on long-term prosperity for the youth of today, I was proud to co-form the Parliamentary Friends for Future Generations group with the member for Mackellar and the member for Swan. Our multipartisan group acknowledges our responsibility to protect the interests of future generations of Australia, and the group brings together representatives from the private, public and social sectors to advance how Australia might best protect its future generations. There are many evidence-based examples from around the world to look to.

I call on the government to take a whole-of-government approach to consider the needs of future generations and I also encourage colleagues in the House and the Senate to join us tomorrow night for an end-of-year symposium at which we will also launch the intergenerational fairness coalition, which is a great chance to hear compelling calls to action from a range of advocates and stakeholders for the future generations policy agenda.

Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Centre Alliance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the motion seconded?

Helen Haines (Indi, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I second the motion and reserve my right to speak.

Daniel Mulino (Fraser, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Youth Voice in Parliament Week is a great opportunity to hear from Australian youth about the issues that are important to them. Thank you to Raise Our Voice Australia, which has created the opportunity for these strong and passionate voices to be heard and amplified. The policies and decisions that our government makes today will have a longstanding effect on future generations. Young people are the custodians of the future—we need to hear their views.

Issues that are top of mind for young people include the environment and climate change, mental health, and equity and discrimination. Young people have long been at the forefront of change, taking to the streets and getting involved in campaigns. Young adults are also enthusiastic about democratic and civil engagement, including volunteer work. Research in 2021 by the University of Melbourne found high levels of engagement in supporting sports clubs, helping with church services, organising charity events, providing free legal and medical advice and accounting assistance, and supporting other young people with mental health issues.

But while young people are passionate and engaged, we also know that young people's confidence and trust in political institutions and processes is low. One research study, the Our Lives project, which began in 2006 and has followed a large group of Queenslanders from adolescence into adulthood, found that participants' trust in politicians has dramatically declined. In 2006, 29 per cent of the cohort indicated that they trusted politicians—11 years later, in 2017, that number had dropped to just nine per cent. We must show that we are listening to young people so that they will re-engage with politics. The importance of this can't be overstated. Trust in government and trust in our key institutions is critical for democracy to operate effectively. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has identified trust as one of the most important foundations upon which the legitimacy and sustainability of political systems is built.

When it came to government, Labor knew that young people were feeling disaffected because their ideas and experiences were not being listened to or taken seriously by politicians. Over the past year or more, our government has worked hard to turn that around. One of the first things that Dr Anne Aly did as the Minister for Youth was re-established the federal office for youth, a unit in the Department of Education that listens to young people, that advocates, and that is improving policies across government that affect young people. Minister Aly also established a youth steering committee to advise on government policies and programs that affect young people, while five youth advisory groups have been providing advice to the government in five areas: climate change and energy; Indigenous Australians; mental health and suicide prevention; industry and science; and social services.

Tonight, it is my privilege to read a speech written by Taihan Rahman. At just 14 years old, this year-nine student from my electorate of Fraser is already making a great contribution, including being the youngest of the aforementioned 14-member youth steering committee. Taihan's interests lie in issues such as social justice, cultural discrimination and education inequality. In his speech, he speaks passionately about the need to invest in education, a theme that resonates with our government. In Taihan's words:

We the youth

We must speak up

We must shout out

For this broken system, we must have no doubt

We're in an education so flawed

That true learning is outlawed

We're being held to a frown

Shining with brilliance, but always shut down

Our rigid system often confines,

The very essence that makes our minds shine

Our education is not a finish line

It's an opportunity to refine

The knowledge and experience we need to shine

So let me say it, loud and clear

It's time to speak up

It's time to shout out

It's time to be louder

This is my plea

To all those who see and stand with me

To take a stand and demand a rebrand

Of an education drowning in quicksand

This is my plea

To the decision-makers who can see but can't act

We need action and passion, not the publicization of the 'consideration' of an

educational revolution

The system is failing, it's straining and staining

We need to do something, anything, everything

It's time to be loud for the whole world to hear

Loud enough to reach leaders' ears

Loud enough to rewrite the story of this generation, and the next.

This is my plea, our inspiration, and the revelation of today's generation.

Thank you for your amazing, thoughtful, powerful incisive words, Taihan. They are a powerful message that I hear and that I am very glad is now on the Hansard.

Helen Haines (Indi, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm proud to second this motion today, which celebrates that this week is Youth Voice in Parliament Week. Organised by the national campaign, Raise Our Voice Australia, young voters and voters to be across Australia have written speeches responding to the prompt: what change would make Australia a better place for future generations? I've been involved in this campaign for three years and I'm constantly inspired by what these young people have got to say. I was delighted to meet the founder of Raise Our Voice Australia, Ashleigh Streeter-Jones, on Thursday night at the Pathways to Politics Program in Melbourne.

As part of this year's campaign, 22-year-old Jye McBurnie from Wodonga in my electorate of Indi has written a speech that addresses the scourge of family and domestic violence. I'm proud to raise Jye's voice in parliament today. This is what he says:

On average whilst this speech is read an Australian police officer is dealing with a victim of Domestic and Family Violence. Another Officer on average will be called out to another Victim whilst the next member speaks, and so on and so on.

An issue that doesn't discriminate against age, sex, religion, socio economic group.

Whilst we must acknowledge that Domestic and Family Violence is a national issue—it's still a major taboo topic in rural and regional Australia with fear of stigma, shame, community gossip, privacy and perpetrator accountability deterring victims from seeking help and utilising local services.

Wodonga has seen a 17.2% increase in reported Family Violence since 2022 according to the Crime Statistics Victoria report.

I call on all parliamentarians including National Cabinet to work together on a consistent and national definition of Domestic and Family violence that includes the many abusive, coercive, and manipulative tactics used by perpetrators.

For a family violence free future, we all need to part of the solution.

Thank you, Jye, for being an advocate in this very important issue. I hope that we as parliamentarians can keep fighting to address family and domestic violence so that Australia can be a better, safer place for future generations.

Jye is one of many impressive people in my electorate, and one of the most rewarding parts of being in parliament is visiting the local schools, sporting groups, universities and organisations and talking to young people like Jye about what matters to them and what action they want from their parliamentary representatives. Even if they can't all vote, they soon will, and it's vital that we listen to them. It's vital that their voices matter.

The top issues that students and young people talk to me about are climate change and access to education. Last year I met two high school students from Indigo Shire, Charlie Pinard and Eadie Hartwig who are the brains behind the Climate Letter Project. They visit primary schools to talk about climate change and encourage younger students to write to the Prime Minister and ministers urging them to take action to reduce carbon emissions. These two young people blew me away. Charlie and Eadie are leading the way with their positive and inspiring message of hope and action.

Last month, I met with the student representative council, the leaders from FCJ College in Benalla who wanted to know what their leaders in Canberra are doing to reduce emissions through renewable energy or even the use of biofuels. They are acutely aware that right now those in power are not doing enough to make Australia a better place for them.

And just last week, I met with another impressive young person from Victoria called Anjali Sharma, who is part of a group of young people advocating for political leaders to act and safeguard the futures of younger generations from drastic climate change impacts.

These young people are not just talking about climate, they're talking about meaningful steps to get us, as members of parliament, to listen. Anjali is leading a brave group of teenagers who are campaigning for parliament to pass the climate duty of care bill which Senator David Pocock introduced in August. The bill would ensure the decisions we make may result in substantial greenhouse gas emissions and must consider the impact they have on the health and wellbeing of Australian children and future generations.

It feels rather corny to say that young people are our future and, in fact, young people must be sick to death of hearing this. Young people are our now and they are already having an impact. I'm proud to bring their voices to this parliament today.

Steve Georganas (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Age doesn't diminish the value of voices or opinions. Take a moment to listen and you'll realise the younger generations of Australia have quite a lot to offer. They're observant, attentive and they're engaged in understanding. These young individuals want to share their thoughts, their views and their words.

And I am proud to partner with Raise Our Voice Australia to amplify their voices in Parliament House this week. The theme of this year is 'What change would make Australia a better place for future generations?' I will be presenting a speech from a young boy in my electorate later this week in the chamber. But as there were so many amazing submissions, I wanted to take this opportunity to get as many young voices heard in this house. The first one is from Ben from Adelaide. He is 14 years old. He highlights the pressing issue of the relationship between police and the Aboriginal community. He says:

The safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are being squandered …

… this is happening because of intense police brutality usage in Australia.

The change I want to advocate would be to change the police structure of Australia to make it fairer …

… you and I as people of Australia need this to happen.

And if we do make this change, it will help immensely.

I realised that police brutality was a problem in this country when my family reminisced about when in Tennent Creek and Alice Springs,

At first, I thought that the Police were trying their hardest to better it until I found out that …

… around 13,161 Indigenous Australians were involved in about 28,826 cases of Police brutality cases in 2018-2022.

I was disgusted, and I felt betrayed.

I thank Ben for his views and his thoughts.

Brent is from Adelaide. He is 10 years old and he brings attention to the challenges faced by homeless individuals. He says:

Hello there, my name is Brent and I have been thinking about the challenges that homeless individuals face daily.

I believe that providing special kits to homeless individuals who are struggling to make ends meet can go a long way.

It is important to remember that everyone deserves a chance to live with dignity and respect …

… and we can all play a role in making this a reality.

By working together, we can help those who are less fortunate and make our communities stronger and more compassionate.

The following one is from Sania from Adelaide. She is 16 years old. She addresses the financial burden of women's sanitary products. She says:

We reside in the 5th most liveable country in the world.

A testament to our commitment to a high quality of life.

But today, we ask the question of what change can be made to create a better country for the future …

… we must think of the quietest struggle.

The average Australian woman will spend $10,000 in her life on women's sanitary products.

If these products were free, she could put a down payment on a house, buy a second-hand car and even pay half off the average HECS debt.

We're now stood on the precipice of change and can start a revolution that transcends time, gender, and opinion.

We cannot rest until every individual, regardless of their background can uphold their dignity.

It's not just an opportunity but a moral duty. It's time to break the silence and create a future of unwavering equality for all.

Ben, Brent and Sania are the voices of Australian youth, and every single one of them is an advocate. We need to truly listen to our young people if we are to rebuild their trust in every one of us here in this place. We should be encouraging the young people in our electorates to apply for the government's 2024 youth advisory groups, and we should all be encouraging our younger Australians to make their voices heard loud and clear. The Albanese Labor government is passionate about enabling young people to be involved in the decisions that affect their lives and futures because we know that a government that works with young people will deliver a better future.

Allegra Spender (Wentworth, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Now more than ever it's critical that young voices are heard at all levels of Australian politics, in particular in our federal parliament, so I'm absolutely delighted to speak in support of the Youth Voice in Parliament Week motion this evening. This year, young people across the country were asked to write a speech which answered the question, 'What changes would make Australia a better place for future generations?' I'm delighted to use my time to read out two speeches written by young people in Wentworth. The first is written by 11-year-old Juliette, who I had the pleasure to meet last week. Juliette writes:

Plastic infests our world. It seeps into our lives. It pollutes our system. We need to right our wrongs, shift the gears, and protect this world now.

Countless decisions. Endless conferences. Lots of talk. People in big buildings, people addressing the nation, the world, broadcasted on TV. What has been achieved? Not enough.

Banning plastic straws is not a step in the right direction, it is an inch in the right direction.

All those brains, all those meetings, all those salaries and that is it?

The people that believe they are powerless have the most power of all. Because a single person, picking up a single piece of plastic, changes the world. Why leave it as an option?

The only people who do not change the world are the people who are crazy enough to think they can. We hear about turtles dying. We hear about poor sea creatures, strangled by plastic bags. 85% of Australian seabirds are affected by plastic pollution.

But we aren't bold enough to save them!

We could put in more bans, more policies to drive individuals to change habits and support our ecosystem. To keep Australia beautiful. To protect our ecosystem for future generations we need bold policies now.

Banning plastic might not make me popular, but for something as enormous as saving our ecosystem, I could take that. Can you?

That is a great challenge to all of us, Juliette.

The second speech is written by 16-year-old Ewan. Ewan writes:

As young leaders, it is our responsibility to envision and implement changes that will pave the way for a brighter future.

Cathy Freeman—the Olympic champion—and the Matildas, our national women's soccer team, symbolize the spirit of hope, determination, and unity that defines our nation. Their achievements inspire us to strive for excellence and work together towards a better future.

First and foremost, to make Australia a better place for future generations, we must prioritize environmental sustainability.

Climate change is not a distant threat; it is a reality that our generation faces head-on. To address this challenge, we must commit to ambitious carbon neutrality targets, invest heavily in renewable energy sources, and support sustainable agricultural practices.

Inclusivity and equality are fundamental pillars of a better Australia for future generations.

Let us foster an environment where diversity is celebrated, where discrimination is vehemently opposed, and where every young person's potential is nurtured, regardless of who they are.

In the age of information and technology, digital literacy is a necessity, not a luxury. We must invest in education and infrastructure to bridge the digital divide, ensuring that every young Australian has access to high-quality internet and the skills needed to navigate the digital world.

Our healthcare system should evolve to meet the changing needs of our society. Mental health support should be accessible to all, and preventive care should be prioritized.

The economic landscape is evolving rapidly, and we must prepare our youth for the jobs of the future.

Investing in STEM education and vocational training will equip our young people with the skills needed to thrive in the digital age. Let us encourage innovation, entrepreneurship, and the development of industries that are sustainable and globally competitive.

Australia's Indigenous peoples are the custodians of the world's oldest living cultures. We must strengthen our commitment to reconciliation, truth-telling, and ensuring Indigenous voices are heard and respected in all decisions that affect their communities.

Let us be bold in our vision, courageous in our actions, and unwavering in our commitment to leaving a legacy of sustainability, inclusivity, and prosperity for the generations that will inherit this great land.

These are inspiring and thought-provoking words from Juliette and Ewan. People often say that young people are the leaders of the future, but, reflecting on this, I think that Juliette and Ewan show us that young people are leaders right now. They can tell us in parliament what is important and continue to hold us to account, as they should, and I'm grateful for it.

Michelle Ananda-Rajah (Higgins, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We partly came to government on a rising tide of young people who were disaffected with the stale politics of the previous administration, but it is clear that we have much to do. There is a generation of young people who simply do not feel like they are heard, and they can identify the issues; they relate to the intergenerational divide and to climate justice. The issues that come up time and time again are climate, housing, wealth creation and financial security, noting that many young people have cottoned on to the fact that the 'bank of mum and dad' has become the default wealth distributor in this country.

Young people feel left out of the conversation, and we in the Albanese government are well aware of this. That is why we established the federal Office for Youth—to rebuild trust with young people and to create a structural mechanism to embed their voices in government to influence and shape policy. In addition to this, we established the Youth Steering Committee, made up of 14 diverse young people, and we have also extended this with advisory groups. The previous year, we had advisory groups on climate change and energy; Indigenous Australians; mental health and suicide prevention; industry and science; and social services.

When it comes to the voices of young people, they are wise beyond their years. Sophie, in my electorate, speaks about violence against women and children. She says: 'Currently, the court system is a long and exhausting process that for me lasted four years, from the time I was 12 to the time I was 16, and no statistic can demonstrate what I went through. I was forced to grow up in year 7. When most of my friends' greatest worries were their next maths test, I had to think about him being around the corner or showing up at my house or my school, despite the restraining orders and talks to mediators, who insisted on phone calls, telling me I could leave the room if I felt uncomfortable. When I did, often in tears, I was rushed back only to continue, constantly having to talk to court representatives to get my side of the story in there.' She says: 'We must improve how we treat young people in court, treating victims and children alike with respect and compassion and as people. We need to educate both men and women about what domestic violence is and work on prevention.'

Hear, hear, Sophie! That is why we introduced reforms this year to put victims-survivors at the centre of our response in the justice system. We are investing $14.7 million into criminal justice reform to improve the way the criminal justice system responds, so it doesn't retraumatise victims. This includes establishing an Australian Law Reform Commission inquiry into law reform and investing $8.2 million towards small-scale trials for primary prevention and early intervention, in a national first. These trials will build the evidence base and help guide our response.

This is from Lotus, who speaks about the intergenerational divide: 'The gap between the rich and the poor is widening rapidly in Australia. It is undeniable that every child deserves a high-quality education to prepare them for their futures because, if we don't secure the success of the next generations, then how can we expect our country to prosper? Neglecting our children is a form of national self-harm, and, as Australians, we all must demand to do better. Regardless of their socioeconomic status, Aussie kids deserve the best education.' Hear, hear. We're currently working on extensive reforms in early childhood education, the middle years and indeed the university sector through the Universities Accord process.

This is from Maxine: 'Words matter. Words have morphed into a vessel which we as humans use to effectively communicate and yet they have surpassed such rudimentary origins. Discriminative language manifests itself in the form of micro-aggressions subtly disguised within colloquial speech, everyday slang and seemingly harmless jokes. What alarms me is that countless people are unaware of the prejudiced origins of the words they use.' Maxine refers to the power of language—language that gets thrown around casually yet can be damaging and tears at our social fabric. It is something that is highly pertinent to the times we live in, and I congratulate her. (Time expired)

Monique Ryan (Kooyong, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'd like to convey the words of a young Australian from my electorate of Kooyong, Zac Chu, who, when he wrote into the Raise Our Voice campaign, asked me to convey this message to the Australian parliament:

Fellow Australians,

Today, I stand before you to urge our executive government to take a significant step towards securing a sustainable future for our children and youth by signing the Intergovernmental Declaration on Children, Youth, and Climate Action.

Our nation's youth are at the forefront of the climate crisis, demanding urgent and decisive action. By endorsing this declaration, we commit to empowering our youth, ensuring their voices are heard, and providing them with the tools and opportunities to actively participate in climate action.

Climate change poses a grave threat to the well-being and future prospects of our children. It is our moral duty to prioritise their interests, safeguarding their right to a healthy environment and a sustainable planet. By engaging with international partners through this declaration, we enhance collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and the effectiveness of our collective efforts.

Let us stand united in recognising the critical role our youth play in addressing climate change. Let us pledge to nurture their passion, knowledge, and commitment to building a sustainable world. Together, we can create a legacy of environmental responsibility, and ensure a thriving future for the generations to come.

Thank you.

Zac Chu

The effects of climate change exacerbate existing geographic, socioeconomic and developmental inequities in society. One of our country's greatest challenges is intergenerational inequity. The young people of this generation will enter adulthood with a significant burden of debt associated with their tertiary studies. Many will struggle to rent or buy homes anywhere near where they want to work. As they enter the workforce, they will assume the burden of a narrowing tax base struggling to fund the increasing cost of disability and aged care. The biggest challenge though is climate change. The cost of our decisions not to act or to act too slowly on climate change will be borne by today's children and their children. We already know that that cost will be too high.

In 1992 all Australian governments agreed that intergenerational equity is a core principle of climate policy, but, despite this commitment, the health and future wellbeing of young Australians has not been at the heart of our economic decision-making or of our climate and environmental legislation. We have no 'youth trigger'—no legislative mechanism specifically requiring that the interests of young people are considered when we make laws that will affect them. This parliament must be prevented from making significant decisions involving the exploration or extraction of coal, oil or gas where the resulting greenhouse gas emissions are likely to pose a material risk of harm to the health and wellbeing of current and future Australian children.

As my young constituent Zac has requested, I also commit to the premises of the Intergovernmental Declaration on Children, Youth and Climate Action. Federal politicians should be required to consider the impact of laws we make on the health and wellbeing of current and future Australian children. Whether or not the people in this place choose to accept it, I maintain that we owe the next generation a duty of care.

Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Centre Alliance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There being no further speakers, the debate is adjourned and the resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting.

Federation Chamber adjourned at 19 : 30