Joanne Ryan (Lalor, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak on behalf of young people in the electorate of Lalor, some of whom are fast becoming disillusioned with the world and their place in it. They care critically about the issues we discuss in this place but feel that they are not being heard. They care about climate change and are dismayed at this government's inaction, on the one hand, and obsession with fossil fuels at the expense of a fair transition to renewables on the other. They care about fair work practices and are dismayed that they can be exploited, underpaid, asked to work in unsafe ways and have their superannuation entitlements stolen with little or no recourse. They care about their peers and are dismayed that our society is driven by profit over fairness and common sense. They feel like their representatives do not care that the world seems set against them, that big business and big media have too much control over political decisions and social discourse. They are dismayed that this government has a punitive agenda for them and does not care about the issues they care about. They care greatly about the world they live in, about their peers and about their futures. Their concern is that this government does not care about them, does not care about their ability to access education and training and to find and keep meaningful work. On behalf of the young people in my electorate I call on this government to take them into consideration when you are developing your policies.