Matilda Every
Member of the YMCA SA Youth Press Gallery
Youth Parliament members walk in looking stylish, and making a point. I Photo: YMCA SA Youth Parliament Media & Communications
Older Australians are at the core of Australia. Not only to they contribute almost 39 billion dollars to our economy every year (Australian Human Rights Commission, 2014), but they also provide a wise and knowledgeable voice to the youth of Australia. And yet, according to COTA Australia, older Australians quality of life is rapidly decreasing. One in three Australians over the age of 55 say they have experienced discrimination due to their age and 18 percent of older Australians feel negative about their quality of life, according to the Australian Human Rights Commission. This means that the welfare of over 75 thousand Australians is suffering. This year’s Youth Parliament is here to change that.
A key feature in this year’s South Australian Youth Parliament is the Intergenerational Connections Bill. This bill is being advocated for by the
Health and Wellbeing committee, and is proposing a variety of methods, aimed at improving the overall emotional, physical and social wellbeing of our older population. These methods include social gatherings that form bonds between the youth and elderly, education on issues effecting older Australians, counselling services that specialise in older Australians’ mental health and so much more. The leader of the Health and Wellbeing committee, Edward Mickan, says “This bill was crafted to counter the emptiness, to fill aged care home with laughter, smiles and faces both old and new.” Meanwhile, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Ryan Walker-Kluske says “the interpretation in this bill about aged care homes is a massive hole in this bill” And yet, the bill was passed in both Legislative Council and House of Assembly.”
Although most of this year’s bills focus on issues facing the youth of Australia, the Health and Wellbeing committee finds older Australians’ quality of life important for the future of Australia. “Ageism and discrimination is something we are all going to face eventually”, says Ember McBryde, Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council. “That’s why it is so important for Youth Parliament.”
Ember McBryde, Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council I Photo: YMCA SA Youth Parliament Media & Communications.
The theme of older Australians’ quality of life was also prevalent in many other bills. This included the Public Regional Infrastructure and Network Transformation Bill, the Democracy Amelioration bill and the GREEN bill. “Having more access to regional public transport means not risking the long, dangerous drive that older Australians need to take”, says Grace Leonello, Assistant Minister for Health and Wellbeing. “More regional public transport means being safer and having access to the basic necessities of an older Australian.”
Although this year’s Youth Parliament has come to an end, the issues older Australians face is not leaving the minds of the youth. Madison Spencer, Minister for Accessibility and Human Services, says, “As a society, we’ve gotten very used to the idea that politics is very divided by age, and I don’t think it should be. Youth Parliament will continue to emphasise that.”
Originally published on The Y South Australia.
The YMCA SA Youth Press Gallery is a program for young people aged 15-17, where they gain valuable experience serving in the Press Gallery for the 2024 YMCA SA Youth Parliament. Youth Press Gallery members develop and distribute articles about the Youth Parliament and the issues being debated, and have their work published.
