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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2008-11-13 Daily Xml
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Question Time

ENCOUNTER YOUTH

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE (15:11): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Consumer Affairs a question about Encounter Youth's important work at the schoolies festival.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE: On Tuesday, by way of a supplementary question, I asked the minister how much funding her government was giving to Encounter Youth. The minister's answer was not conclusive. I have attended many openings of Schoolies Week with Encounter Youth's volunteers. In fact, the 440 volunteers are the core of Encounter Youth's success at Victor Harbor in my region. These Encounter Youth volunteers, together with ticket sales and donations, are the way in which they make up shortfalls in funding. Many states have enormous problems with Schoolies Week. South Australia, by and large, does not have problems, due to a great extent to the fantastic work of the volunteers of Encounter Youth.

I am aware that they are finding it difficult to obtain funding and that there has been a cut in funding from the government for their work this year. My questions are:

1. Does the government genuinely value the work of Encounter Youth?

2. Will the minister lobby the Minister for Volunteers—or any other minister—to increase funding because of the huge number of volunteers managed and engaged over such a short period for a very important community purpose?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Energy) (15:13): Indeed, South Australia is blessed with having extremely high levels of volunteer participation in a wide range of community services. I understand that we are one of the leading states in terms of volunteer activity, and South Australia is much richer for the very valuable work the volunteers contribute. Encounter Youth is one such organisation that has a large number of volunteers which contribute to its activities. Indeed, their efforts are valued in the same way as the work achieved by a wide range of volunteers. They, too, are valued. In terms of funding, we know it is always a vexed issue.

There are many worthy causes out there; there are many areas where volunteers would like an increase in funding to their particular area of interest and activity and the contribution that makes to our community. We are also incredibly fortunate in South Australia not to have significant problems associated with our schoolies. That is because of the hard work of a wide range of different community groups as well as our agencies. They should be acknowledged as well, along with the volunteers, our Drug and Alcohol Services, our police, teaching, and transport assist. As I said, there is a wide range of agencies and community groups involved in helping to keep our young people safe while they are celebrating the end of their school year.

There are many who would like an increase in their funding. It is a vexed issue. Funding decisions are always made (as the member would well and truly know) through a budget cycle and process, and all budget requests are considered in that way.

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