Kate Ellis (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to draw to the attention of the House a wonderful program that is delivered to young people across Adelaide through the Service to Youth Council—that is, the Youth Connections program. This is a program that is delivered across Australia. It is aimed towards young people who have become disengaged from schooling and are at risk of falling through the cracks and slipping into youth unemployment. This is a program that, up to the end of last year, helped almost 75,000 young people across Australia get a hand up, and the estimates are that by the end of this year that number will reach 100,000.

Sadly, this is a program that is placed at risk; it is under risk of being cut by the Abbott government. All of this was revealed at Senate estimates last night, where we learnt that the department has not confirmed that, at a time when youth unemployment is on the rise, this important Youth Connections program will continue. In fact, at Senate estimates last night it was indicated that the minister responsible has not even asked for advice on the best way to make sure that young people make a successful transition. We know on this side of the House that, at a time when one job has been lost for every three minutes since this government was elected, this is not the time to be cutting support from young people and leaving them at risk of youth unemployment.