Wednesday, 21 June 2023

 Jess WILSON (Kew) (10:00): Nearly a quarter of the electorate of Kew’s population is aged 19 and below. As their representative in the Parliament I am conscious that decisions we make in this place will have intergenerational consequences and will disproportionately impact younger generations who do not yet have the power to vote. That is why I am determined to listen to our younger Victorians and be their voice in the Parliament to fight for the issues that are important to them and will help shape their future.

I recently invited primary and secondary school students from the more than 30 schools across Kew to a school leaders forum so they could raise and share their ideas. The grade 6 students spoke about improving online safety, the risks of vaping and improving local road safety. At only 11 or 12 years of age, the students made informed, impassioned arguments and suggested some very clever ideas to tackle local issues, some of which I have already raised in this place. The year 12 leaders agreed there is a widespread concern amongst their peers that young people are not heard or respected in the political debate. The mental health of young Victorians was consistently raised. Many of the students noted the stigma that still surrounds mental health, and it was agreed the role of government is to step up and ensure there is sufficient professional support both in and outside school.

The design and focus of our education system, particularly VCE, culminating in an ATAR, were discussed as not adequately representing the skills or ability of a young person graduating from school and needing to be reviewed. Housing affordability, support for LGBTQI+ students, HECS debt and greater funding for our state education were just some of the other important issues discussed. We need to do more to listen to our young Victorians and ensure their views are better represented. I thank the students for actively engaging in the forum. It is just the start of the conversation.