PREFACE

The Progressive Labour Party has seen the youth of Australia a distanced, disenfranchised and forgotten sector of our community in recent decades. Young people are having less educational opportunities, less employment opportunities, educational debts, lower socio-economic status and politicians aren't addressing youth concerns.

The PLP opposes age discrimination in all its forms and has developed this specific Youth Affairs Policy to address the conditions of young people in Australia.

There will be a National Youth Caucus Officer and another Youth Affairs representative in every branch. By having a gender balanced approach to branch representatives we are further guaranteed of having a fair balance within the Youth Caucus as well.

The PLP will

IN EMPLOYMENT

1. Abolish Work for the Dole, introducing instead Volunteer Work Programs that give accredited skills to unemployed people who volunteer.Where appropriate Work for the Dole can be replaced by jobs paying award wages.
2. Abolish all age discrimination within award wages.
3. Abolish the harsh means tests that accompany Youth Allowance and create government payment that is fair to both studying young people and unemployed young people, from age 16 onwards.
4. Re-introduce government funded and run employment agencies
5. Introduce more job, education and training schemes available to all young people, not just those on Unemployment Benefits.
6. Facilitate the widespread development of apprenticeships, eg by offering tax rebates for the cost to employers.
7. Introduce more small business grants to young people, funded by the government.
8. Return to increases in Capital Works in Infrastructure, improving public transport, hospitals, educational institutes, roads, etc. to provide jobs and experience for young people.
9. Adequately address the astounding level of youth unemployment with shorter working week and other schemes.
10. Form an Unemployed People's Union to inform, educate and unite unemployed people, giving them organisation skills, relevant information and adequate representation. Oppose Voluntary Student Unionism (VSU), young people are already under-represented at Union level.

1. Abolish all educational costs such as HECS, upfront fees and loans, TAFE fees etc. at all levels of education.
2. Fund educational programs and support pregnancy help to young girls, offering all options and support in their decisions and rights.
3. Support young people in their choices about emerging sexuality with anti-discrimination in all schools etc. for gay and lesbian rights.
4. Increase vocational educational opportunities in high schools with in-service training for teachers and offering a wide variety of subjects to students. Provide the option of part-time apprenticeships and other such schemes.

1. Aid and fund programs to assist in the very real problems of drugs and alcohol in young people's lives, giving full support in rehabilitation programs and changing legislation for small time possession of marijuana.
2. Support rural youth with their increasing disenfranchising from the Australian community with subsidies for rural Shire Councils to install Internet access to regional libraries and to rural schools. Also initiate recreational programs with music, concerts etc. for rural youth. Suicide is a major problem in this community sector and rural youth should have extra services available in suicide prevention as well. Introduce government funded Youth Suicide Prevention Schemes, keeping existing programs such as Reach Out.
3. Australian music will be promoted with small business grants to young/emerging bands. Radio content will have minimum local content, offering opportunities to young people who want full-time work in this industry.
4. Increase funding to the Arts to aid jobs for young artists to conduct exhibitions or productions, etc.