Page 1968 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 6 May 2009

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In the ACT context we have comparatively high year 12 attainment rates, as Mr Barr is proud of noting. We have already met the year 12 retention targets set by Mr Rudd and Ms Gillard. This is not to say that we should not be aiming above this target. Of course, there are still young people who slip through the cracks and who should benefit from the proposed plans. The Pathways to the future report shows that the community and the education sector have given conditional support for compulsory participation under the age of 17.

I agree that ensuring options for young people to expand their skill base and prepare for their future at such a critical age is important. Even without these new plans, our education system already offers students the chance to remain on to year 12. With the universities, CIT and other training organisations in Canberra, we have a wide range of educational and training options available. The key is to make sure that young people have the capacity and support to engage in the opportunities open to them.

The extra funding for ACT schools, both public and independent, in this year’s budget, as well as the money for CIT, will assist to address resource concerns. But while having the resources and training providers is important it is also vital that our young people have the financial support they need.

I will deal with that in a second. I want to go back to the funding that is going to our training institutions such as the CIT. We really do need to be closely watching and monitoring the increasing enrolments that might happen and ensuring that there is an increase in the funding so that there is the teaching staff available and so that young people are not turned away from the course that they want to study. This would be a most unfortunate outcome.

Looking at the financial support of young people, I note the changes to the eligibility to youth allowance which are linked to the plans. I urge the ACT government to work with the federal government to acknowledge and respond to the Bradley review’s recommendations about increasing and improving student support and to ensure that youth allowance payments are sufficient to allow young people to attend and engage in the training and education options open to them.

I also urge the ACT government to ensure that adequate public transport is available for students to physically attend their training place and to ensure that student support services are provided to assist students who may struggle with the study requirements. The ACT government needs to monitor and review the impact of these changes on our young people and particularly review the impact of penalties for non-participation. We need to make certain that we are encouraging our young people to succeed and not punishing them for failure which may be out of their control.

I will support Ms Burch’s motion but I stress the need to continue the consultation and involvement of key stakeholders, providers, peak bodies and most importantly the young participants themselves, along with the families and carers, to make sure these plans succeed in improving the lives of our young people.

MR COE (Ginninderra) (12.12): I rise to speak on what is, of course, a very important motion and a very important issue. Young people do contribute a lot to our


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