YOUTH PARLIAMENT

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN (15:38): Poor old Rob Lucas! He is a shadow of his former shadow. He really has become an embarrassment to his own party—the treasurer who delivered successive budget deficits and who was a complete failure as a cabinet minister in this state. We know that the Hon. Mr Lucas is unaccustomed to a political party and a government in which people actually like each other, know each other and talk to each other.

No-one wants to talk to him in the Liberal Party. No-one will answer his calls. No-one wants to talk to the Hon. Mr Lucas. He is out on a limb as far as he can go, so we know that he would find it difficult to understand a government and a political party in which people like each other, actually talk to each other and are actually working for the same purpose—delivering good government to the people of South Australia. All the Hon. Mr Lucas can do is malign people, particularly a lot of my friends and colleagues who he spoke about in his Address in Reply, some of whom I would have to say are the brightest, most erudite and talented people that I know. I think the government is lucky to have the advice of such well-educated and well-qualified people.

On Monday 29 September, at the Feast of Michaelmas, over 100 young people from around the state were present for the official opening of Youth Parliament 2008. The Youth Parliament program is a state government initiative managed by the YMCA for the past 13 years, with funding provided through the South Australian government's Office for Youth. About 1,000 young South Australians have participated in the program so far.

Successful participants are educated in the South Australian parliamentary system, voting procedures, parliamentary etiquette, public speaking and bill writing, with the chance to network and voice their opinions and concerns on issues of importance to them. These young people commit to attend training sessions in Adelaide before taking part in a week-long residential camp, held this year at the Royal Adelaide Hospital Residential Wing.

During the week they experience a replication of a state parliament sitting week, with three days of formal debate and voting on bills in both houses of parliament. Of particular interest to me were seven young participants from the South-East. These people have come from diverse backgrounds and have different passions about what they would like to see changed in our state through the bills they presented.

Four young people were sponsored by the Wattle Range Council: Jaymee Atkins from Mount Burr; Simon Butler and Rachael Cormie from Millicent; and Stephanie Slotegraaf from Tantanoola, who goes to my old alma mater Allendale East Area School. The Wattle Range team presented the Rural Services Bill 2008, which looked at the services available in regional areas, such as education, transport and information technology. I was able to be present for the contributions by Jaymee Atkins and Stephanie Slotegraaf in this chamber, and I am pleased to say that I had an opportunity to meet them briefly afterwards. They both made very good, well-rehearsed and researched presentations.

Also present was a team sponsored by the City of Mount Gambier—long-time members of the local government Youth Advisory Committee—Grace Ploenges-Beltchev, Kenni Bawden and Travis Ellis. Along with students from LeFevre High School, they presented the Youth Attitude Bill 2008, which looked at efforts to combat gang violence and drug and alcohol culture. These bills, along with others that passed both houses in the Youth Parliament, are presented to the Minister for Youth to consider.

All the participants of Youth Parliament 2008 are to be commended for their passion, dedication and involvement. I think it is important to thank parents, councils, community organisations and schools for all the work that they do to make such events possible and for supporting the young people to travel to the city to attend and be part of such an important gathering, which I am sure will be a well-remembered part of their education in years to come.