The Wellspring

It looks like the Rudd Government will be making good on its promise replace the failed National Youth Roundtable mechanism and fund a national youth affairs peak.

The Australian Youth Forum will be the new consultative mechanism for young Australians, replacing the National Youth Roundtable and offering “broader opportunity and scope for young people from across Australia to have their views heard by the Federal Government”.

A discussion paper and questionnaire covering the role, functions and operations of the Australian Youth Forum was released by Hon Kate Ellis MP, Minister for Youth on 17 March 2008, and will remain open till 30 May 2008. Additionally, Minister Ellis will travel around Australia in late April and early May in order to consult with youth organisations. (The dates are yet to be confirmed, but will be posted to the source once decided.)

The Australian Youth Forum will also be a major agenda item during the Australia 2020 Youth Summit, held this weekend (12 - 13 April 2008). The results of the discussions there will be forwarded to the main Australia 2020 Summit for further discussion (though the question of how the government engages community in decision-making, which used to be a primary consideration for the Future of Australian Governance stream that I am in, has now been dropped, with the focus moving to questions around open government and the media, parliamentary reform, administering government, and the constitution, rights and responsibilities - so I think it’s unlikely that the Australian Youth Forum will get a proper hearing at the main Summit.)

For further information on the consultations on the Australian Youth Forum, and to download the discussion paper and questionnaire, see http://www.thesource.gov.au/involve/ayf.asp.