CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS
Dr SCAMPS (Mackellar) (17:01): I recently attended Have Your Say Day. This is a fabulous youth-led initiative that gives young people across the northern beaches a platform whereby they can engage directly with their elected leaders and community members on the issues that are affecting them. This year, students from nine high schools presented key concerns raised in a survey of more than 2,300 students aged between 17 and 24.
Their top three issues were transport, mental health and the environment. Students Ava, Georgia, Lily and Maya from Stella Maris said young people on the northern beaches are stressed about basic travel. In a survey, one 23-year-old said that her daily commute takes at least 1½ hours each way because of congestion, bus delays or cancellations, leaving little time for family, health or other aspects of life, and many arrive late for school for similar reasons.
The students proposed solutions such as expanding bus routes and increasing their frequency, integrating student IDs into the Opal app and creating a subsidised pathway for people to obtain a bus driver's licence through TAFE to address the driver shortage. These are practical ideas that deserve consideration. Cooper and Grace from Davidson High School spoke about youth addiction, including to vaping, illicit drugs and alcohol.
They said addiction often develops gradually, shaping how young people cope, think and live. They argued that the problem is not so much a lack of services but a lack of awareness, education and open conversations. Too many young people suffer in silence because they do not know where to turn or fear being judged.
They called for stronger education in the PDHPE classes, community information nights, workshops and social media campaigns to reduce stigma and help families access support. Then Flynn and Mira, students from Narrabeen Sports High School, highlighted the levels of microplastics in our local dunes and waterways. Dee Why Lagoon is one of the 10 most polluted waterways on the New South Wales coast.
They called for sustainability activities to be more collaborative and visible in youth spaces so that young people have the opportunity to participate in environmental initiatives both in school life and in the community, making them accessible, socially ingrained and part of everyday life. Sadly, in this short speech I cannot talk about all the speeches that were made, but I want to thank all those who participated so thoughtfully in Have Your Say Day.
I learnt a lot, and this initiative illustrates that, as Isaac from the Northern Beaches Secondary College's Cromer campus said, this is how we can 'build a future where young people are consistently included in decision-making, equipped with the skills to participate and given genuine opportunities to have their voices heard'.