Legislative Council Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2) 54 2 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Question Time Youth Action Plan Youth Action Plan The Hon. T.T. NGO Legislative Council Youth Action Plan The Hon. T.T. NGO (15:12): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Human Services regarding the Youth Action Plan. Leave granted. The Hon. T.T. NGO Legislative Council The Hon. T.T. NGO: It has now been six months since public consultation closed on the Youth Action Plan and a youth panel was appointed that held a two-day workshop. The Department for Human Services website states the development of the Youth Action Plan ended in December. My questions to the minister are: why has the minister failed to produce her promised Youth Action Plan after almost two years in office and when will the minister finally publish the long-delayed plan? The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK Legislative Council Minister for Human Services The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (15:12): I thank the honourable member for his questions. The answer to the last question is soon: the Youth Action Plan is scheduled for release in SA Youth Week, which commences on 17 April. Honourable members might be aware that the sector, particularly YACSA, its constituent bodies and other people in the youth sector, asked all the political parties in the lead-up to the election if we could do a three-year plan instead of having an annual plan. That has meant that we have had to be involved in quite some engagement to ensure that we can produce a three-year plan. It will deliver a more strategic, sustainable and systemic approach to support coordinated, longer term investment for South Australians and it has involved a collaborative design process with young people, government agencies and the community. In 2019, we reviewed all the consultations that represented the voices of over 6,000 young people to identify draft focus areas. These were tested during SA Youth Week last year with a group of young people who had nominated and then been selected randomly to participate, as well as through YourSAy. The youth panel weekend involved 45 young South Australians from a range of backgrounds, ages, genders and locations who provided detailed advice to further inform the plan's development. We also had attending at that event the Commissioner for Children and Young People; the Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People, or, I should say, her representative; the Guardian for Children and Young People; the Child Development Council; and the Youth Affairs Council (YACSA). We have also established an across-government task group to oversee development and identify opportunities that align with the plan's priorities. The draft actions are with government departments at the moment. We will be providing an update on that plan at NetFest, on 21 February, which is Friday, before we formally launch the plan on 17 April.