Page 261 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 12 May 1992
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
The Government's move on this matter, and it has been a government move, has been applauded by many people. I would be just as happy if you said nothing, rather than to have the sort of response that we heard here today. Nobody wanted your applause. People just wanted to hear you say something positive about something that is really positive. I think you have not done yourself or the Liberal Party any kindness by taking such a churlish approach. Anyway, that is the issue. I think it has been a good result for health promotion in the ACT. It is something that I think will be good for kids in the ACT.
Mr Kaine: It is an outstanding success for Mr Humphries.
MR BERRY: Mr Humphries can take part of the credit for it because he was a supporter of the legislation which permitted me to knock back those exemptions. I think that at the end of the day this Assembly earned some credit because it was this Assembly that passed the legislation in the first place. Interstate we have been recognised as a bunch of people who are prepared to have a go when it comes to health promotion. Nobody wants too many bouquets; they just want recognition that something okay has been done in the interests of health promotion.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT
Discussion of Matter of Public Importance
MADAM SPEAKER: I have received a letter from Ms Szuty proposing that a matter of public importance be submitted to the Assembly for discussion, namely:
That the ACT Legislative Assembly urgently address the major social issue of youth unemployment.
MS SZUTY (5.01): Madam Speaker, I raise this matter of public importance on an auspicious day, World Unemployment Day. No doubt this morning members have heard calls from the Open Family Foundation for Federal Government efforts to create jobs by making young workers more attractive to employers and introducing the competency based wages system recommended by the Carmichael report. I support the call to investigate these options but feel that, as the elected representatives of the residents of the ACT, we can and must do more than wait for Commonwealth initiatives.
Only last week we were told of an increase in youth unemployment in Canberra - up to 25 per cent. Let us just seriously think of this for a second. One in four of our young people is unable to find work; 1,100 people who are no longer in the education system, who need to find paid employment, who need to start establishing themselves as real participants in the ACT community. By ignoring their need for employment, we really do deny them the right to participate.
A recent survey carried out by ACT TAFE students likened getting a job in Canberra for young unemployed to winning a lottery. The study detailed all the Wednesday and Saturday job advertisements in the Canberra Times over the month of March and found that only 86 ads fulfilled the criteria of full-time and
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .