Thursday, 2 November 2023

 John BERGER (Southern Metropolitan) (17:27): (571) My adjournment is for the Minister for Youth in the other place Minister Suleyman, and the action I seek is for the minister to join me at the inaugural meeting of the Southern Metropolitan youth advisory council 2024. The council will be made up of young people committed to learning how government and policy-making work. They will complete a final report that will advise me and the government on a policy area of interest, and they will attend the Parliament to see us in action.

My community of Southern Metro is young, and that is why it is vital to put them at the forefront of my decision-making. Swinburne University in the north and Monash University in the south mean that my community has a large and growing student population, and in the modern-day era their needs are more diverse, unique and important than ever before. I should know: I have six children in their teens and in their 20s, including one who has just graduated from Monash University. We all want great outcomes for young people, and having some of the youngest people in Victoria in my community only makes me work harder.

It is great to see the work the Minister for Youth is doing to coordinate the whole-of-government investment in young people through our 2022–27 youth strategy. Over the last few years our young people have been exceptionally resilient, and in the recovery it is vital to elevate young people’s voices to understand how the decisions that we make here in Spring Street affect them and how we can make better decisions that work for them. That is why I am proud to be a member of a government that listens to and empowers young people.

The YMCA Victoria Youth Parliament is a great example. It provides an opportunity for young people to gain firsthand experience of the Parliament process and to develop their leadership and advocacy skills. It has shaped more than 30 Victorian laws, including the mandatory wearing of bike helmets and the new recycling scheme – and do not forget, applications for the 2024 YMCA Victorian Youth Parliament are open until 12 November.

In September more than 100 events were held that celebrated the skills and achievements of young Victorians across Victoria, thanks to the Allan Labor government. It is only through the hard work and dedication of leaders like Minister Suleyman that these initiatives happen, and I want to thank the minister and her office for their engagement with the team in the youth policy space. They bring a fantastic energy and insight to youth affairs. That is why the young students and leaders in my community would love the opportunity to speak with Minister Suleyman about the issues that matter to them.