On Tuesday 23 June 2015, I attended the ‘lock-up’ for the NSW Budget 2015-16. The annual lock-up gives journalists and a variety of organisations the opportunity to have early access to the Budget Papers before they are released to the public. Those invited are not allowed to leave the lock-up area or communicate with anyone outside until the end of the lock-up. It lasts for three hours and ends when the Budget Speech is delivered by the NSW Treasurer in Parliament.

As a representative of the NSW Youth Advisory Council, I was allocated to a room in the NSW Treasury along with a dozen representatives from non-government organisations, including the Centre for Volunteering and the Australian Medical Association NSW. We were each given a heavy stack of Budget Papers, along with the Budget Speech and media releases. During the lock-up, we received a surprise greeting from the NSW Treasurer, the Hon Gladys Berejiklian MP, who was excited to deliver her first Budget.

Here is the main spending for young people in the Budget:

Education, training and employment

A key priority in the Education budget is the Supported Students, Successful Students program for public schools. The Government will spend $167 million over four years on this program, providing 236 additional school counsellors and up to 200 additional student support officers. The program will also give targeted support to address the challenges faced by Aboriginal and refugee students and their families. Supported Students, Successful Students begins in term three this year, and should ensure better welfare outcomes for students.    

It is great news that the Government has allocated extra funding to try to increase the number of school students learning languages. This includes the creation of a new virtual high school to give students better access to languages. Less than 10% of students currently study a language for their HSC, despite the benefits of learning another language in a multicultural NSW.

The government is supporting young people in their transition to further education and employment. The Budget allocates $27 million for workplace learning for public school students who study a vocational education and training (VET) course for their HSC. This will benefit more than 40,000 students each year.

The Jobs of Tomorrow Scholarship Fund will provide up to 25,000 scholarships, worth $1000 each, to encourage more students to undertake qualifications in technology-based growth industries. The government will also give full scholarships to 200,000 disadvantaged 15-30 year olds to study subsidised VET certificate courses. The Budget allocates a further $8 million over four years to provide viable pathways into education, training and employment for young people in regional areas. However, some other TAFE reforms have been unpopular with young people. 

There are several initiatives in the Budget for young Aboriginal people. The government has pledged $20 million to establish an Aboriginal Centre for Excellence in western Sydney. The centre will provide mentoring and support for Indigenous school students, and help them move into tertiary education and employment.

The government has also allocated $3 million to continue implementing the OCHRE plan (Opportunity, Choice, Healing, Responsibility and Empowerment). This includes continuing the Language and Culture Nests to support the preservation and learning of Aboriginal languages in schools. Opportunity Hubs will continue to provide Aboriginal school students with pathways to employment through career planning and links with local businesses.

Health and mental health

The drug Ice has become cheaper and easier for young people to access. The Health Budget includes an Ice package, which establishes new treatment services for $7 million and provides $4 million to non-government organisations for treatment and rehabilitation services. The government will complement these measures with an education campaign on the dangers of Ice.

The Government has also responded to community concern at the potential dangers of e-cigarettes for children and young people. The government has promised to ban the sale of e-cigarettes and related products to anyone under the age of 18.

The Budget allocates $35 million to continue the implementation of Living Well: A Strategic Plan for Mental Health Reform in NSW 2014-2024. This will include the expansion of youth services.

Protecting vulnerable children and young people

In the Family and Community Services budget, the government will spend $60.4 million to continue the Safe Home for Life reforms, which focus on a child’s need for safety and stability. This includes moving many government care services to non-government organisations. The Budget also allocates $200 million over the next four years to support the increased number of children and young people in out-of-home care. It is hoped that these reforms will give these vulnerable children and young people the best quality of life.

Housing affordability

Young people are finding it increasingly difficult to rent or buy a home. To address the issue of housing affordability, the government will commit an extra $400 million to the Housing Acceleration Fund. The money will be spent on infrastructure required in growth areas to help increase housing supply. The government will continue to provide first home owner assistance to support the purchase or construction of new homes, including the $15,000 First Home Owner Grant. 

Anzac Memorial Scholarship

The government has allocated $250,000 for the successful Premier’s Anzac Memorial Scholarship. School students can apply for this scholarship to travel to historical military sites and learn about the Anzac legacy though first-hand experience. This is an excellent initiative for young people and I hope it continues well into the future.

Sport and recreation 

The government will invest $175 million in grassroots sports programs and facilities in 2015-16. This will help to encourage young people to stay fit and active. In particular, the government will allocate $12 million over three years towards construction of the Western Sydney Community and Sports Centre in Penrith. 

Youth radicalisation

The government will spend $4 million over two years to address the concerning issue of youth radicalisation. This will include community-based initiatives and individual support programs to engage young people who are at risk of becoming radicalised.     

Environment

The Budget commits $2.65 million to introduce a container deposit scheme to recycle drink containers, which is due to commence in 2017. Young people will find this scheme to be a fantastic way to reduce litter.   

Free museum entry

The Arts budget includes $2.1 million to give children under 16 free entry to the Powerhouse and Australian Museums. Early media reports indicate that attendance numbers at these museums have increased since this initiative was announced.

Jesse Hanna

Deputy Chair

NSW Youth Advisory Council

1 July 2015