Statement in support of a national youth peak body: Young Australians must have a voice into government

We are a broad group of civil society leaders and thinkers. We know how young people’s energy and ideas make our country stronger. We know how important young people are to our country’s success and prosperity. Times are hard for young Australians. They are likely to be both the first generation to have lower standards of living than their parents and the first to contribute more to government spending than receive from it. Youth unemployment and underemployment remain worryingly high. Our education system is failing to properly support and transition young people into the jobs of the future. Most young people are becoming locked out of the housing market or taking on more debt than ever before to own their own home. Unfairly, some young people have even less opportunities, just because of their background, location or identity. Many young people are experiencing severe disadvantage, poverty or homelessness – a tragedy in a rich country like ours. This amounts to a big problem for all Australians. In the years to come, we’ll rely on young people most to lead our communities, drive our economy and support our ageing population. If young people feel valued and connected to our country, we will all benefit. Young Australians want to be heard on many issues. They want to help solve the challenges they and their communities face. But the Australian Government currently supports no way to hear young people or engage or consult with them. This must change. More than one in five Australians are aged 12-25. More than 10 per cent of all voters in the 2016 election will be aged 18-24. Young people deserve a voice into government. Ahead of the election, we call on all parties to commit to young people via a national youth peak body, like the Australian Youth Affairs Coalition (AYAC), to:

● represent young Australians to government; ● provide youth-informed policy advice; and ● support policy makers to consult and engage with young people.

This statement is supported by: ActionAid, Archie Law, CEO Anglicare Australia, Kasy Chambers, Executive Director Australian Conservation Foundation, Kelly O’Shanassy, CEO Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS), Dr Cassandra Goldie, CEO Australian Council of Trade Unions, Ged Kearney, President Australian Education Union, Susan Hopgood, Federal Secretary Australian Progress, Nick Moratis, Executive Director Australian Youth Climate Coalition, Kirsty Albion, National Director AYAC, Leo Fieldgrass, National Director Brotherhood of St Laurence, Tony Nicholson, Executive Director Carers Australia, Ara Cresswell, CEO Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare, Deb Tsorbaris, CEO Centre for Multicultural Youth (CMY), Carmel Guerra, CEO Centre for Policy Development, Travers McLeod, CEO CHOICE, Matt Levey, Director – Content, Campaigns & Communications Consumer Action Law Centre, Gerard Brody, CEO Disability Employment Australia, Rick Kane, CEO Domestic Violence NSW, Moo Baulch, CEO Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia (FECCA), Gulnara Abbasova Foundation for Young Australians (FYA), Jan Owen, CEO Family Violence Legal Services, Antoinette Braybrook Friends of the Earth Australia, Cam Walker, Coordinator Future Super, Simon Sheikh, Managing Director GetUp, Paul Oosting, National Director Koorie Youth Council, Greg Kennedy, State Manager Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network (MYAN), Nadine Liddy, National Coordinator National Tertiary Education Union, Jeannie Rae, National President National Union of Workers, Tim Kennedy, National Secretary Northern Territory Council of Social Service (NTCOSS), Wendy Morton, Executive Director NSW Council of Social Service (NCOSS), Tracy Howe, CEO

Oaktree, Chris Wallace, CEO Reconciliation Australia, Justin Mohamed, CEO Refugee Council of Australia, Tim O’Connor, Communications Director RMIT University, Professor Judith Bessant Save the Children, Tim Norton, Head of Campaigns Settlement Services International, Violet Roumeliotis, CEO South Australian Council of Social Service (SACOSS), Ross Womersley, CEO Tenants' Union of NSW, Julie Foreman, Executive Officer Unions ACT, Alex White, Secretary Unions Tasmania, Steve Walsh, Secretary United Voice, Jo Schofield, National Secretary University of Melbourne, Dr Tim Corney University of Sydney, Professor Ariadne Vromen Victoria University, Professor Robyn Broadbent Victorian Council of Social Service (VCOSS), Emma King, CEO Victorian Student Representative Council (VicSRC), Krista Seddon, Manager WA Council of Social Service (WACOSS), Irina Cattalini, CEO YFoundations , Dr Michael Coffey, CEO YMCA, Melinda Crole, Interim CEO Youth, Family and Community Connections (YFCC), Ros Atkinson, CEO Young Workers Centre, Keelia Fitzpatrick, Coordinator Youth Action, Katie Acheson, CEO Youth Affairs Council of South Australia, Anne Bainbridge, Executive Director Youth Affairs Council of Victoria (YACVic), Georgie Ferrari, CEO Youth Affairs Council of Western Australia , Ross Wortham, CEO Youth Affairs Network Queensland (YANQ), Siyavash Doostkhah, Director Youth Coalition of the ACT, Emma Robertson, Director Youth Disability Advocacy Service, Dr George Taleporos, Manager Youth Network of Tasmania (YNOT), Joanna Siejka, CEO Youth Research Centre, Dr Hernan Cuervo, Senior Research Fellow Youth Research Centre, Professor Johanna Wyn, Director Youth Work WA, Dana Anderson, Chairperson Youth Workers Association (VIC)