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Luke Bo'sher
Photo: Dragi Markovic
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Hello, my name is Luke Bo'sher and I will be on the panel interviewing Larry Anthony MP, Federal Member for Youth Affairs. Both as I young person and a person who is interested in youth affairs, I have been looking into a range of areas which I feel are important to young people. One area which I feel receives little attention, but it so vital to the running of a government and to the well being of people, is consultation and representation of young people.
Currently, the Government's main method for youth consultation is the National youth Round Table, which was set up in 1998 and comprises of 50 young people who are chosen each year to work in focus groups based around particular issues. This method is valuable to find out how specific young people feel about important issues in their community and is also a great experience for young people who have an interest in any one of; their community, the political system, specific issues such as youth homelessness etc. However many people feel that this program is under funded, as young people have no resources when they are compiling their reports, and these reports rarely become legislation as there is no official policy or obligation to make the reports into legislation. The reelection of young people every year also removes the ability for continued advocacy for issues within the community.
After 20 years of the presence of a national youth peak body, the Howard government disbanded an organization called AYPAC - Australian Youth Policy and Action Coalition - in 1998. AYPAC comprised of a range of youth focuses organisations, including; State & Territory Youth Affairs Councils, youth services and individuals. But AYPAC's function was not only to act as a way to represent young people, but also youth organisations and the youth sector. AYPAC suggested the concept of National Youth Round Table to the Government as a complimentary method of being in touch with young people, however, the government disbanded AYPAC and set the National Youth Round Table up in its place.
I spoke with Alan Wu, youth Spokesperson for the Australian Youth Affairs Coalition, about AYPAC's disbanding, and the development of the National Youth Round Table. He informed that there was a void which left the youth sector without any real representation at a national level. Now, a 'dedicated group of people have set about to re-establish a new national youth peak' which is called AYAC and runs as the non-governmental youth peak body and representative to the government. But running as a non-governmental not funded and not recognized by the government as a representative body, it is difficult to give advice to the government on youth issues.
Alan explained to me that in December 2003, AYAC applied to Larry Anthony MP, and the Federal Government, for $250,000 dollars to provide resource which would enable the organization to function as a youth peak body and provide a much more diverse and representative view of youth issues to the Federal Government.
Although supported by the YWCA and many other organisations and individuals, including the Labor Party, The Democrats, all the state youth peak bodies, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) and many others. The AMA believes that "AYAC is a wonderful initiative and deserves the support of the Federal Government through proper funding and dialogue."
I am interested to hear why Mr. Anthony believes that either the system we have at present is adequate or if he believes that there is a better system is possible for Australia, what this system is and how he sees this system being implemented with the consultation of young people.
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