Youth leaders discuss issues with MPs

April 28, 2008: There were six youth councillors from the Bega Valley Shire at the Inaugural Southern Regional Youth Council meeting in Moruya last week.

The Youth Councillors presented issues of local concern to Federal Members of Parliament Mike Kelly (Eden-Monaro) and Johanna Gash (Gilmore) at the meeting.

Bega Valley Shire Council’s community development officer, Emma Benton, accompanied Bega Valley Shire’s delegates Lachlan Leislighter, Danielle Holdsworth, Max Reddaway, Sigrid Helland and Lewis Powell to the regional youth meeting.

"I was pleased to see the youth meeting eventuate after months of discussions between youth community development staff in the Eurobodalla, Shoalhaven, Cooma-Monaro, Snowy River, Bombala and Bega Valley Shires," she said.

"The Eurobodalla Shire and their Youth Council did a fantastic job of organising and hosting this year’s meeting, which was sponsored by the South East Area Consultative Committee.

"Each shire bought to the table a host of concerns that local young people had raised with the view of discussing these issues and possibly reaching solutions with each other and the Members of Parliament."

Ms Benton said that before attending the meeting, the Bega Valley Shire Youth Council had isolated a number of key issues of concern to raise with MPs and neighbouring youth councils.

These had included education and employment; youth homelessness; the need for a designated youth space and more youth entertainment; transportation issues; drug and alcohol and mental health issues; and regional communication issues.

"The delegates and the MPs agreed that young people needed more involvement in advising government on Federal, State and local levels," she said.

"It was decided to hold the regional youth meeting twice a year, with all councils involved taking the opportunity to host.

"After discussions it was decided to not only invite Federal Members but also State and local representatives as well."

One of the Bega Valley Shire youth councillors, Danielle Holdsworth, said It seemed that the issues her group took to the meeting where common across all of the areas attending.

"We really felt as if the MPs were taking on board the youth issues we raised," she said.

"It was a great opportunity to network with other youth councils and from across the shires as well as addressing issues to our local MP."