Tuesday, 20 September 2022

Members statements

Youth policy

Dr BACH (Eastern Metropolitan) (10:24): Young people have experienced so much hardship over the period of the last few years, so in the lead-up to the election I have been enjoying engaging closely with so many wonderful groups in our youth sector like the Centre for Multicultural Youth and the Youth Affairs Council Victoria. I met just last week with YACVic once again and heard from them about their election priorities. They are putting forward a whole series of very sensible election priorities that quite frankly the Andrews Labor government should have acted upon years and years ago—first and foremost to reorient our support systems away from crisis intervention to early help and prevention, something that those of us on this side of the house have been calling on the government to do for many years. Workforce development: our youth sector in Victoria, our broader community sector, is such a strength of our state, and yet this government has done so little to value the role that so many different types of workers play, including youth workers.

System reform: currently systems are siloed and clunky. Young people who have mental health problems so often experience real issues with housing, drugs and alcohol, child protection and youth justice. There is a desperate need for reform. Youth participation is another priority. Why don’t we actually listen to and value the voices of young people for a change, something that has not happened in this state for so long? And there is sector cohesion and efficiency, including valuing the role of YACVic as a peak body. I endorse these priorities. The coalition parties endorse these priorities. The government should do likewise.