Tag Archive for "Youth"

Posts Tagged ‘Youth’

Minister Buying a Cheaper Future with Class-Size Increases

17 May, 2012 by admin

Following Education Minister Hekia Parata’s pre-budget announcement yesterday, Young Labour is echoing calls from the education profession to abandon an ideological experiment with New Zealand’s kids.

Young Labour spokesperson Benjamin Ross argues the Minister’s goal of “improving quality teaching” is admirable, but should focus on expertise, skills and experience, not National Standards, performance pay and charter schools. “Hekia Parata has pledged to lift achievement for Maori and Pasifika children, but in blindly pushing through Treasury’s changes she’s shown exactly what she’s here to do. The Minister isn’t in search of a better education system for New Zealanders, she’s in search of a cheaper one.” (more…)

Pasifika Representative challenges Government to address the ‘U’ word: Unemployment

4 May, 2012 by admin

Figures released today show that unemployment is on the rise nationwide with a particular concern revolving around Pasifika unemployment which is at an all-time record high at 16.0 percent.

Youth unemployment makes for grim reading too with 18.0 percent of youth (15-24 year olds) being unemployed. This places particular emphasis on the need to review the education curriculum and where the breakdown in transition is occurring for these young people.

Young Labour Pacific Island Representative, Kieran Meredith believes having Hekia Parata as both Education and Pacific Island Affairs Minister could work in the favour of our Pacific Island community. (more…)

Young Labour congratulates Youth Parliamentarians on excellent performance

8 Jul, 2010 by admin

The average age of parliamentarians in the House yesterday was significantly lower as participants of the Ministry of Youth Developments Youth Parliament 2010 took to their seats to debate issues relevant to New Zealand’s youth.

Youth Parliament, which has been held every couple of years since 1994, is an opportunity for those prospective future parliamentarians aged 16-18 to sink their teeth into contemporary political debates by attending everything from select committees to caucuses. (more…)

Rising Youth Unemployment is No Bright Future

4 Feb, 2010 by admin

Young Labour is dismayed by the results of today’s Household Labour Force Survey which shows youth unemployment has risen by 6.5 percent.

“Young Labour is appealing to the Government to take serious action to curb the rising rates of unemployment amongst young New Zealanders.” Young Labour President, Patrick Leyland, said this afternoon. (more…)

Bully Bennett’s Boot Camps Back

26 Aug, 2009 by admin

Young Labour is appalled by today’s announcement about the introduction of Boot Camps.

“Whilst we obviously welcome the Government’s plans to introduce new holiday opportunities for disadvantaged youth and respite programmes for children in care, the parallel announcement about the introduction of ‘military style activity camps’ despite almost unanimous expert criticism at select committee is deeply worrying.” Young Labour President, Patrick Leyland, said this afternoon. (more…)

Unanimous expert criticism of ‘Boot Camp Bill’

6 May, 2009 by admin

Young Labour joined the unanimous chorus of criticism of the Government’s ‘Boot Camp Bill’ today at the Social Services select committee.

After the second hearing of the Committee on the Bill it is clear that the overwhelming weight of expert opinion is critical of the Government’s plans to introduce military style camps for young offenders, as well as a number of other measures in the Bill.

The Hon. Paula Bennett announced last week that the critics of the Bill have missed the point. Yet after two weeks of submissions only one submitter has come out in total support. (more…)

Clark leads the way on sensible resolution on s59

2 May, 2007 by admin

The announcement today that an amendment devised by Rt Hon Helen Clark and Sir Geoffrey Palmer will ensure cross party support for repealing Section 59 is welcomed by Young Labour. Sue Bradford’s Private Members Bill seeks to remove the legal defence for abusing children that has seen parents get away with hitting their children with hosepipes and horsewhips.

The Young Labour spokesperson for Section 59 repeal, Sonny Thomas, said he was delighted that the result of this amendment would be support for the most vulnerable members of society. “It is fantastic that Helen Clark has prioritised ensuring children get the same protection under the law from physical violence as adults. The amendment reaffirms existing guidelines that the police have for prosecuting cases and does not detract from the intention of the Bill”. (more…)

Young Labour gets ready for campaign

13 Apr, 2005 by admin

Young Labour, the youth wing of the Labour party, met recently at the Wellington congress to select a new national executive and plan its election year strategy and activities.

“The Labour party has a good story to tell to the youth of New Zealand” said Conor Roberts, the new President of Young Labour.

“Young people we talk to relate to our policies well, like how we kept New Zealand out of the Iraq war, how we have supported New Zealand music and the arts, how we have increased access to student allowances, increased the youth minimum wage and how we have passed socially progressive pieces of legislation like the Civil Union Act. (more…)

National Ignores New Zealand Youth

11 Aug, 2004 by admin

The National Party’s failure to appoint a youth affairs spokesperson in its recent reshuffle demonstrates how out of touch Don Brash is with the youth sector.

“This is yet another example that the National Party is not concerned with representing New Zealanders outside of its own traditional support base.

“Following the recent reshuffle the National shadow cabinet now consists entirely of people of European descent, and only contains two women out of fifteen,” said Young Labour President Michael Wood. (more…)

Debate On Police/Young People Relationship

23 Sep, 2003 by admin

On Friday night Christchurch Young Labour held a successful forum attended by over 25 people on the relationship between young people and the police. The three key points were: that the relationship is an important one and needs to be improved and worked on, young people should be included in the formation of policies and documents that will directly affect young people, and that despite perceptions to the contrary, young people are interested in their communities and want to be pat of the solutions to New Zealand’s key problems.

Government MP and Chair of the Justice and Electoral Select Committee, Tim Barnett, Youth Advocate at the Community Law Centre, Louise Taylor , and Inspector Dave Lawry from the Christchurch Police each spoke about the key issues and problems in the relationship between young people and the police and offered some solutions. (more…)