YOUTH PARLIAMENT

The Hon. S.G. WADE (15:40): In mid-July around 100 young people converged on Parliament House to take part in the 16th South Australian Youth Parliament program. Youth Parliament South Australia is coordinated by the YMCA, but is fundamentally a program run by young people for young people aged 16 to 25 years. The program takes young people through the process of identifying issues, preparing research, developing solutions and drafting legislation and culminates in a week-long camp that involves debating in this council and the other place. It helps young people to develop their leadership potential and gain an understanding of the political processes while connecting with a diverse range of young leaders from across the state. The program not only has a civic education role but also has proven to be a powerful self-development opportunity for many of these young people who participate.

I had the opportunity to observe parts of a number of debates in Youth Parliament and was struck by the passion with which the youth parliamentarians conveyed what was important to them. One of the contributions I was privileged to hear was a courageous speech by Sarah Nelson, a 16-year-old young woman from Mount Gambier. Given that the Youth Parliament is all about giving a voice to young people, I have limited my comments so that I can read Sarah's speech in full, as follows:

The world is in trouble. The amount and severity of issues currently facing young people is at paramount. Everybody has their own struggles. Their own hurdles they need to cross. For me the biggest issue facing myself and my peers is mental illness. Mental illness in itself is an extremely large issue facing the entirety of the population. Because of this I want to speak solely on anxiety.

Unless you are directly affected by anxiety you would have no idea what it is really like. Your mouth feels dry, it's a struggle to swallow. Your heart is racing so fast you feel dizzy. Your legs turn to jelly as your lungs gasp for air. Somebody reaches out to you and you flinch, or run, or anything you can think of to keep safe. Sometimes people notice: you feel so stupid as though you are a freak. You don't even know why you're behaving like this. Everybody is watching and all you really want is to crawl into a deep dark hole. You try to think of the good times, but in your head there is a voice telling you that you never deserved them.

Of course, this is only one account of anxiety. Symptoms and reactions vary greatly from person to person. Anxiety makes life such a struggle. It affects not only the individual but the people around them. So, what help is available? In cities you have access to councillors, psychiatrists, psychologists, specialists, GPs, doctors, youth facilities, and on and on the list goes. Rural towns do not have this advantage. In Mount Gambier we have school councillors, backlogged GPs and the community mental health service known as CAMHS. CAMHS currently has a six-month waiting list due to such high demand and backlog due to emergencies. Because of this, suicide is one of the biggest killers of youth in Mount Gambier. We need help. Our town is in a situation few could honestly comprehend. Kids are dying.

Every year at YP mental health is brought up, proving to me that it is not just us facing this never-ending battle. We need the government's help. We need the government's support. We need whatever we can get. We are trapped in a struggle that has seemingly no end. I plead, I beg, I implore, please. Help us.

We need the support and action of the government, or there will never be an end. More kids will die. For all those suffering from mental illness, you know what I mean and how I feel. To you all, please keep going, keep going. Maybe we will get the help before it is too late. Wish on an airplane, reach for the stars, buzz like a bee, lean on me, smile, whatever lyric takes your fancy. Live and be proud. When no-one else is there, please contact me and I promise that I will love you. To me you are all amazing or you would not be here.

That is the end of Sarah's speech. You can understand why I was challenged by Sarah's personal courage, her passion and her desire to advocate for her community. Sarah has continued her advocacy by sending me a range of material on mental health in the regions. Unfortunately time does not permit me today to relay that information. I congratulate Sarah and all the 2010 youth parliamentarians and suggest that this council could do well to emulate their courage and passion.