Tuesday, 18 February 2025

 Aiv PUGLIELLI (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (13:02): (1377) My constituency question today is to the Minister for Youth. I have recently been contacted by a constituent who is concerned about a reported rise in criminal activity in the vicinity of the Forest Hill Chase shopping centre. Some of those reports do allege a range of behaviours of younger people. I pose to the minister that I think we would agree that if young people feel connected to their community, if they are in school, if they have hobbies and if they have supportive friends and families in their lives, we know they are much less likely to be getting caught up in antisocial behaviour, let alone criminal activity. Minister, I ask: what are you doing to support young people in the area to keep them in school and to keep them connected with their community?