Page 1378 - Week 04 - Thursday, 4 April 2019
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School chaplains
Discussion of matter of public importance
MADAM SPEAKER: I have received letters from Miss C Burch, Ms Cheyne, Ms Cody, Mr Coe, Mr Milligan, Ms Orr, Mr Parton, Mr Pettersson, and Mr Wall proposing that matters of public importance be submitted to the Assembly. In accordance with standing order 79, I have determined that the matter proposed by Miss C Burch be submitted to the Assembly, namely:
The importance of school chaplains in the ACT.
MRS KIKKERT (Ginninderra) (3.01): I seek leave to speak in the absence of Candice Burch.
Leave granted.
MRS KIKKERT: I am happy to assist in bringing this matter of public importance before the Assembly today. On many prior occasions I have stood in this chamber to discuss the wellbeing of young people. In many cases, the issues they face are complex and in many regards they are growing increasingly complex. Two months ago, I moved a motion in this Assembly calling upon the ACT government to make a formal commitment to better supporting and funding programs for kids in what are called the middle years, the developmental stage between early childhood and adolescence in which children undergo dramatic social, emotional and physical changes, including the most intense period of brain development during a human lifetime.
More and more typical youth issues are presenting in children earlier in life and resulting in coping mechanisms and responses reflective of adolescent behaviour. The onset of puberty is beginning earlier and young people are also engaging in risk behaviours earlier. At the same time the number of children and young people in need of mental health services is also increasing. As we learnt last year, owing to demand Menslink has now opened its services to primary school-age boys, with those aged 10 to 12 years making up 12 per cent of this support group’s client case.
Children and young people currently face challenges their parents probably never imagined. For example, though no-one knows for certain it has been estimated that one in five Australian children aged 8 to 15 may have experienced cyberbullying. This is defined as harassment or intimidation that takes place online. Bullying, sadly, has probably always been around, but the spread of technology and the prevalence of personal devices such as mobile phones means that things like intentionally hurtful statements, vicious rumours, humiliation, embarrassment and threats can now follow children and young people wherever they go, including into what was once the protection of the family home.
In February I shared in this place the harrowing story of a young boy whose parents claim that for 3½ years he was physically assaulted by other students at school, including being punched, pinned, dragged, strangled and more. Understandably, this
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