Youth voice largely forgotten this election (Nov 21)
An elderly gentleman and a regular visitor to the Back Benches show emailed me to say that he has seen more 18-25 year olds at Back Benches than any candidates meeting he has ever been to. And he writes that while that might be a positive, he says he turns up to candidates' meetings wondering why there is an almost complete lack of interest from those under 45?
I had been wondering about this myself. In the wall-to-wall coverage we've been getting on the election, many of the issues have passing relevance to youth and what youth are interested in. There has been some discussion on youth unemployment and some good pieces (for example a recent Listener cover story) but not nearly enough on just how tough it can be to be young and growing up in New Zealand right now.
One young woman I talked to at Back Benches last week said after weeks of trying she finally landed a job as a production co-ordinator. "I'm completely relieved that I've found something. Then again, over 150 people applied for the same position, so I wonder if it has more to do with sheer luck."
The National students association president David Do says political parties need to engage more with younger voters, supporting a Speak Up for Education rally in Wellington's CBD this evening.
And Bernard Hickey, in an article on which he says the main parties are avoiding the key issues, says "neither party has addressed the national tragedy of long-term youth unemployment, running at 25 per cent to 30 per cent, or how to transform an underclass of people stuck on welfare and the health and social problems that brings. Neither party is seriously looking at youth rates, expanded apprenticeships and any social reforms to attack these issues directly."
Youth unemployment is seen as the number one issue for business writer Fran O'Sullivan too, which is why, she told me, she raised it on the first TVNZ Leaders' debate.
I agree with Jacinda Adern when she suggests that one thing we
could do is to improve civic education in schools. Get them talking
about and plugged into civic issues from a young age. And I think
in media debates and forum, youth issues and voices have tended to
serve simply as an adjunct.
One 20-year-old told me the message needn't be funny or 'lite', it
just has to be real, and by the way, not be talked down to. Not
being able to relate to any politician, or not feeling like they
know enough to engage in politics, are real issues for youth, and
should be top of mind for any MP entering public life. And yes, we
have a duty in this day and age not to think serious politics has
to be dull and sober.
Maybe there are some bright spots. There's no doubt that social
media is changing things. Nikki Kaye mentions that she's "probably
had four times as many young people contact me with constituency
queries or policy questions via facebook or twitter, than through
my parliamentary office." And the electoral commission has made
bigger efforts to get young people to vote (I think the ads are
terribly dry and dull and need work but that's my opinion).
The Greens are behind an ace initiative, "Hey Kiwi," where you can
check your enrolment details, update them and in return get Kiwi
music downloads from artists such as the Phoenix Foundation, Jess
Chambers, and Minuit. And the more people that share their unique
link, the more music they can download. It's pretty rad.
www.heykiwi.org.nz or
http://www.facebook.com/heykiwi.org.nz
But ask yourself, where have you seen young people raise questions before a Member of Parliament or political leader? To my mind, an engaged youth is perhaps the sign that New Zealand has a blueprint for the future. Last election 110,000 young people didn't enrol. If they're turning off, it's a big worry.
Howard Zinn, author of 'The Peoples History of the United
States', said that charting history always involves looking at what
the young people are doing. Maybe we should be doing that more in
New Zealand.
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