Address to National Youth Forum

I acknowledge the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples, who are the Traditional Owners of the land on which we are gathered today. 

Welcome to the representatives from the Australian Government’s Youth Steering Committee and Youth Advisory Groups, state and territory youth advisory councils and bodies, and young people representing many fantastic organisations here today. 

And to our dedicated public servants sharing their expertise and advice today – thank you.

Youth Meets Parliament is a big week – and it’s only Wednesday morning.

Now that you've been officially welcomed at Parliament House, started meeting MPs and Senators, and had the opportunity to meet in your groups...

It's time to get down to business at the National Youth Forum.

I’m excited to open this third National Youth Forum.

Young Australian voices should be heard.

Because politicians like me can learn a lot from listening to the voices of younger Australians. 

From listening to you.

And this Forum is a critical platform to make that happen – alongside our Youth Steering Committee and Youth Advisory Groups.

Your contributions matter because you aren’t just policy recipients. 

You are policy shapers. You are agents of change.

You’ve come from all over.

From as far south as Launceston, all the way up to Trinity Beach in Far North Queensland – you bring the real experiences, diversity and passion for change that our Parliament needs to see and hear.

From our youngest members at 16 years old, through to our veteran 23-year-olds, you’re contributing on important issues such as climate change, First Nations, mental health, sport participation and foreign interference.

This is where you discuss current issues and pitch your ideas to senior public servants and decision makers.

This is where you meet with other passionate and dedicated young people.

This is where your opinions and ideas can help us create better and stronger communities across Australia.

So please – don’t hold back. We want to hear from you today.

Each year at this Forum, we partner with three government departments to bring real life policy problems to the table.

We do this because we know that if our policies as a Government are to stand the test of time, they have to actually work for young people.

They can’t just be what we assume young people need. 

Being here is a big responsibility, too.

Not every young person has a chance to be in this room today.

So when putting forward your ideas, please think about your peers, the communities you represent.

Think beyond yourself.

You are all leaders in your own right – whether in your schools, workplaces, universities, TAFEs or communities. 

Today, you’ll take part in workshops to define and understand problems.

You’ll work together to come up with ideas that might help solve the problem you’ve been allocated. 

You get to propose your ideas to policy makers and then engage with them about their responses.

Today is a dialogue.  And through that dialogue, your proposals will be tested and improved.

There will be three streams – Youth Mental Health, Climate Change, and the Arts.  

Mental health is being considered today because we know young people aged 16-24 across Australia have the highest prevalence of mental health disorders across all age groups.

39% experience a 12-month mental health disorder – an increase from 26% in 2007 – that’s a 50% increase.

Australia’s not unique in this. 

There are global trends of declining youth mental health – including anxiety, depression and suicidal behaviours.

Demand for mental health services is increasing across other countries, including the US, Canada, Belgium and Italy.

These are concerning trends.

We want you to share your thoughts on how the Government can better protect youth mental health and reduce the future need for mental health support.

I want to acknowledge that these are difficult topics.

So please seek support throughout the day if you need it.

Our Climate Change stream will look at how research can be designed to support real world decisions and trial solutions in real ecosystems.

Because we know that you and your peers will live with the consequences of climate change. 

This is about your future.

The National Environmental Science Program brings together scientists, governments, communities, industry and First Nations peoples.

In this stream, you’ll be contributing to environmental outcomes, not just reports. 

Finally, our Arts stream will be contributing to a new National Cultural Policy to help guide the future of arts and culture in Australia. 

The arts are in many ways the beating heart of Australia’s culture and national identity. 

But we know that young people are finding it harder and harder to access and participate in arts and cultural activities.

We want to hear from you about what is and isn’t working. 

And how can the government better support children and young people from different backgrounds to attend, participate and undertake education and training in the arts?

I would like to thank the Youth Steering Committee members in advance for their work in facilitating these sessions. 

I can’t wait to hear your contributions. 

And I’m also excited for you all to hear the work of the young people over the last twelve months at today’s youth panel.

Last year, Forum participants explored how policymakers could make tertiary studies more accessible, relevant and achievable for marginalised young people.

Particularly those in regional or remote areas, students living with disability and First Nations peoples.

They also considered how best to encourage young people to live in remote and rural locations – and how to support young people after a natural disaster.

I hope you’ll listen to their ideas, the experiences that inform their views, and the contributions they’re making. 

So now – over to you.

This event is all about you – your ideas, your experiences.

You’ve come a long way to be here.

And I don’t mean here in Canberra – I mean here in this moment, where you have the chance to be heard.

Because only you have your lived experiences.

Only you have your unique voice.

And we want to hear it.

There is so much experience and potential in this room.

I look forward to seeing the solutions you come up with.

And I’m even more excited to see the change that you go on to drive in the years ahead.