Page 540 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 20 February 1991
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who are at risk. Those young people came from as far away as Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra and some of the other cities in New South Wales.
There were highly emotional times there. I heard stories from people who had been sexually abused as children and as quite old children, people who at less than the age of 20 had already been on the streets some six years, had been alcoholics and had been addicted to drugs. They were being dealt with in a non-religious and non-political atmosphere that encouraged them to look after themselves, to realise that there were alternatives to drugs and to build up their self-confidence so that they could deal with the world around them. I hope to spend more time with that particular group and with other youth groups in order to look at the different methods that are used to help people who unfortunately come into this category.
The other thing that was most influential on me at that stage was that a number of the parents had come to the camp with these young people. I thought it was tremendous that that group made an effort to get parents and children working together so that they could see the effect that love for one another could have and how much it could help if they took a rational and loving approach to each other. I am pleased to have had that opportunity.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Assembly adjourned at 4.27 pm
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