The Wellspring

The annual Students of Sustainability (SoS) conference is on again, to be held this year from 9 - 15 July, 2007 at Murdoch University in Perth.

Now in its 16th year, SoS is the largest meeting of the environmental movement in the country, attracting between 600 and 800 young participants each year.

SoS describes itself as “a convergence of communities, students, academics, and environment and Indigenous groups and autonomous activists from around Australia. It features inspiring speakers, practical workshops, community nights, bands, films, field trips, actions, reflection, dialogue, celebration.”

Registration (which includes camping accommodation and vegan meals) for students is $175. Early bird registration (which gives you a discount of $15) ends 1 June, 2007.

For further information and to register online, see http://www.studentsofsustainability.org/.

Held in Melbourne from the 1 -3 May, the first National Youth Affairs Conference in eight years offered an excellent opportunity for young people and those that work with young people to get together to assess progress and discuss issues of national significance to Australia’s young people.

From a national perspective, a few issues received a lot of attention:

• The development of codes of ethics and / or practice for youth workers in each state and territory was heavily discussed. Most recently an issue in Victoria, which is currently seeking the introduction of a Victorian Youth Sector Code of Ethical Practice, the discussion formed the final discussion panel at the Conference (see the front page of the Youth Affairs Council of Victoria’s (YACVic) website), with Youth Affairs Network of Queensland (YANQ) Director Siyavash Doostkhah arguing against the introduction of Codes.
• There was substantial discussion around the tokenism of the National Youth Roundtable, with Edith Cowan University researcher Jude Bridgland-Sorenson presenting the findings of her six-year long research project that found that it was a “politically-manipulated waste of time”. Reporter Michael Turtle, formerly of Triple J and now the ABC’s new reporter at large for youth issues, ensured the story got coverage on ABC local radio’s The World Today and Triple J’s Hack.
• Of course, funding for a national youth affairs peak was also raised several times in several different sessions, and overwhelmingly supported by participants. Representatives from the Australian Youth Affairs Coalition met with Senator The Hon. Nigel Scullion, Minister for Community Services, who was formally presented with a funding submission for his consideration. The next day, Ms Tanya Plibersek MP, Shadow Minister for Women and Youth reaffirmed the Australian Labor Party’s commitment to re-establishing a Minister for Youth position and funding a national youth affairs peak. The Shadow Minister said:

  “Young Australians will be given a formal, funded mechanism to advise a new Labor Government on how policies affect them which will be independent, more representative and have a broader role than current youth advisory bodies.

  “This mechanism will be called the Australian Youth Forum, and will bring together young people and advocates to discuss problems affecting youth, and how the federal government can be part of a solution.

  “The Australian Youth Forum will be a formal communication channel between outstanding youth representatives and service-providers and the Federal Government.”

  The Shadow Minister also said that the ALP would repeal the much-discussed Electoral Roll reforms that were widely seen to have disenfranchised young Australians.

• Lastly, Conference delegates were saddened to hear that, after 23 years, Streetwize Communications will wind down its operations. The organisation, which is well-known for reaching hard-to-reach groups with its well-researched comic books, pamphlets, kits and DVDs on issues such as discrimination, employment and health, finally succumbed to the financial difficulties that had plagued it since its inception. Streetwize are currently giving away all remaining stock until Friday 25th of May. If you’d like to grab something, go visit Streetwize at:

  Streetwize Communications
  Tel: (02) 9319 0220
  Suite 6, 245 Chalmers St
  REDFERN NSW 2016

  And remember to thank them for their hard work!

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Luke Bo’sher, Policy Officer at the Youth Coalition for the ACT and Young Spokesperson for the Australian Youth Affairs Coalition, has prepared a summary of the 2007 Australian Federal Budget as it pertains to young Australians. Luke says: ” …there is very little to further support and enhance work with young people experiencing disadvantage or social marginalisation (particularly as there is no new money for mental health, housing, homelessness or community sector sustainability).”

To download the excellent summary, see http://www.youthcoalition.net/documents/policy/Budget/Federal/Budget%20Summary.pdf.

The National Youth Commission Inquiry into Youth Homelessness is the first independent inquiry into youth homelessness since the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission inquiry completed by Commissioner Brian Burdekin (”Our Homeless Children”) in 1989.

With some 33,000 homeless young people in Australia without a safe place to call home each night, the current inquiry is examining why youth homelessness continues to be a major problem in Australia. It will gather evidence on the issue of youth homelessness and seek input from all stakeholders including service providers, government agencies, community organizations and homeless young people.

The inquiry is underway with first round hearings already held in Hobart, Townsville, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, Darwin, Geelong, Warrnambool and Wagga Wagga. If you missed the hearings, you can still participate by sending in a written submission or by doing an on-line submission via the Commission’s website. The Commission would particularly like to hear from young Australians (12 - 25 years old) themselves who have been, are or at risk of homelessness to have a say.

For further information on the Inquiry and on ways to participate, see http://www.nyc.net.au/.

Submissions close 15 June, 2007.

The last few weeks have seen two new surveys of young Australians released:

Youth employment NGO Dusseldorp Skills Forum has released its survey of 800 young Australians, entitled “What Young People Are Thinking”. Conducted by market researcher Newspoll, the survey “provides insights into the study and work attitudes, opinions and experiences of young Australians.”

The survey reveals a group of young people who are confident about their personal future and generally positive about their experiences in study and in work. The survey also points to several fault lines that DSF say suggest areas in need of greater policy attention.

For further information and to download the survey, see http://www.dsf.org.au/papers/195.htm.

Meanwhile, Christian welfare support NGO Mission Australia is at it again, calling for young people aged 11 - 24 to complete its sixth annual National Survey of Young Australians. In 2006, they had 14,700 respondents.

The survey’s primary purpose is to identify and clarify the key and emerging issues for young people. It asks young people about what they value; their concerns; sources of advice and support and involvement in community activities. Mission Australia says that the survey “publicly affirms that young people and their views are valued by the community” and that the survey has become a valuable resource for young people and those working with young people and their rights and interests.

For more information and to complete this year’s survey, see http://www.missionaustralia.com.au/youthsurvey/.

The survey closes 29 June 2007, and as usual, the survey findings will be available publicly later in the year.

Update (22 May): Yet another! The results of the annual national survey of 15-20 year olds (”Youth Poll 2007″) by the Australian Democrats has been released.

“Youth Poll 2007 has found young Australians feel very strongly about the Government entering into a treaty with Indigenous Australians, with 68% saying it should do so. Other key findings of this years Youth Poll include: 54% of respondents know a young person who has attempted or committed suicide; 87% believe the Federal Government is not doing enough to address climate change; young Australians are split on support for an Access Card, with 49% supporting the proposal and 51% opposing it; and, only 14% of young people think society negatively stereotypes young parents.”

Unfortunately it doesn’t seem that the Democrats are releasing details of how many young people participated in their survey. However, whilst you might expect the poll to mainly reach the Democrats’ progressive supporter base, some of the responses are surprising conservative, which might suggest a broader reach. For example: a majority say that the Federal Government should not repeal its voluntary student unionism legislation and that Australia should not become a republic (!), and over 40% support mandatory detention of asylum seekers.

For further details, see the media release at http://www.democrats.org.au/news/index.htm?press_id=5873, and download the full poll results at http://www.natashastottdespoja.com/cms_resources/documents/Youth_Poll_Report_2007.pdf.

Insight is a weekly program on SBS TV that involves 50 people in a studio audience in a discussion of a current affairs issue for an hour. (You may remember that earlier this year they were looking for young people to participate in a programme about p-plate laws that was ultimately sensationally entitled “Dying to Drive“). They are now looking for young people to participate in a program about how young people have experienced change under the new industrial relations laws.

The program is keen to hear people’s personal experiences - whether you work in retail, hospitality or any other sector, if you have a story to tell Insight would like to hear it.

If you’re open to sharing your story on the Insight program in Sydney (interstate guests will be flown in for the recording), please send your contact details and a few sentences about yourself and your experiences to Skye Dockerty at skye.docherty@sbs.com.au.

Late last year the Australian Parliament passed the Electoral and Referendum Amendment (Electoral Integrity and Other Measures) Act. (The Howard Government had tried to pass the law in 2004, but was unsuccessful.) This piece of legislation made a number of changes to the way Australians vote. Amongst others, it:

• increased the threshold beyond which one must disclose political donations to $10 000,
• introduced a proof of identity requirement for people enrolling, updating their enrolment, or provisionally voting, and
• revoked the voting rights of prisoners serving a sentence of full-time detention.

Most significantly for young people, the Act provides that no one will be added to the electoral roll after 8:00PM on the day the writ of election is issued. Voters who wish to merely amend their existing record on the electoral roll have three working days after the issue of the writ. Previously, voters had one week to add their name to the electoral roll. And of course, if you don’t have an active and accurate listing in the electoral roll, you can’t vote.

At the time, the Australian Electoral Commission estimated that up to 80 000 citizens who would otherwise be entitled to vote would be prevented from doing so, whilst 200 000 voters would be enrolled at an incorrect (usually a previous) address.

Many youth groups saw the move as a way to limit the political effect of young people by removing them from the democratic process of voting. They argued that young people - especially potential first-time voters who had not yet enrolled - would be disproportionately affected. The AEC says that only 56% of 18-year olds are currently on the Electoral Roll, and the NSW youth affairs peak, the Youth Action and Policy Association, says that ‘young adults are far more transient than other age groups and are often moving out of home, or changing their residence due to their employment and education needs. As a result, they often leave their enrolment to the last minute.’ Labor Party MP, Steve Georganas said: “Young Australians… who are not experienced in participating in our national democracy and who are just starting their lives as young adults are naturally going to be preoccupied with concerns other than politics. We should not be trying to exclude them for failing to be ultra-conscientious with the timing of their enrolment. On the contrary, we should be encouraging their engagement with the process.”

Now, the progressive political movement GetUp! is rallying behind the issue, with a new campaign called Don’t Let Them Stop You From Voting. GetUp! is currently collecting signatures for a petition to repeal the legislation. At the time of this post, they have 23976 signatures.

To add your name, visit http://www.getup.org.au/campaign.asp?campaign_id=75.

To download forms to register to vote or update your details, visit the Australian Electoral Commission’s website at http://www.aec.gov.au/_content/what/enrolment/forms.htm. To check your enrolment details online, visit https://oevf.aec.gov.au/.

Update (10 May): At the end of April, the Australian Electoral Commission issued a Fact Sheet explaining the new Close of Rolls arrangements. It is available at http://www.aec.gov.au/_content/What/enrolment/cor_factsheet.htm.

Difference of Opinion is the ABC’s new debate show, which tackles a different topic each week with a panel of experts. Issues that the show has looked at include climate change, education, multiculturalism, water conservation and home ownership.

Difference of Opinion is recorded with the participation of a live studio audience of approximately 60 adults (that is, aged over 18). The audience will have the opportunity, at various times throughout the program, of participating in the debate by asking the panellists questions and commenting on their responses.

On Monday, the 23rd of April, 2007 Difference of Opinion will be doing a show on Generation Y. The programme coordinators are currently looking for people to fill the studio audience. The audience should arrive at the ABC Studios in Ultimo, Sydney, no later than 5.45 pm; the recording will last from approximately 6.30pm to 8pm. The show will be broadcast later that same night at 9.35pm.

The teaser for the programme reads:
Some believe Generation Y is the luckiest generation yet, with all the material goods that previous generations only dreamt of. They were born into a time of low unemployment, economic growth and prosperity, and have only ever known good times, some say all they want is a good time! Many Y’ers see it very differently; they think they’ve inherited a troubled world, where society is breaking down. For a start, there are record numbers of divorced and single parents, divorce boomed in 1976, the year Gen Y’s began arriving, going from 13,000 in 1971 to 63,000. Gen Y has also grown up in the uncertain age of terrorism, not to mention the realization that Climate Change needs to be seriously addressed. Is this really a worry free generation? Are Gen Y really spoilt for choice or are they busy cleaning up after a lot of mess? In what state did the boomers leave the country for the generation that was to come? We explore what the feelings are about the sort of world generation Y has inherited and how is it affecting them? Gen Y was also the first to grow up in the ‘digital age.’ With the advent of the Internet and other such modern condiments came sites such as ‘Youtube’ and ‘Myspace’, these new ways of communicating, also brought new ways of bullying known as cyber bullying. We look at how bullying is effecting youth. Some say that generation Y are so caught up in their gadgets that it’s made them apathetic to outside causes making them a selfish self obsessed bunch. Is being overly connected making for a disconnected youth? We look at what is concerning this generation on Difference of Opinion what makes them tick and how they envisage their own futures.. Tonight we talk about this generation and we ask Y?

If you would like to be in the studio audience, please RSVP to Sonia Parison (Parison.Sonia@abc.net.au), Difference of Opinion’s Audience Coordinator by Thursday 19 April , 2007. Please indicate whether you wish to bring a person(s) with you.

For more information on the programme, see http://abc.net.au/tv/differenceofopinion/.