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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 1 Hansard (11 December) . . Page.. 26 ..

MS MacDONALD (continuing):

In my election, the Australian Labor Party has achieved some historic firsts. This is the first time, under the Hare-Clark system in the ACT, that a major party has won three seats in a five-seat electorate. It is also the first time that a government in this territory has won eight seats. Indeed, we only just missed out on having a ninth member elected, and I am sorry that Susan McCarthy is not making her inaugural speech here today, having lost by only 300 votes.

I believe that the results of the last election were an indication by the people of Brindabella and Canberra that they wanted a change. While I believe that the hard work that I put into my election campaign earned me many personal votes, there were many other people who voted for me as a representative of the Australian Labor Party, and particularly as a Labor woman.

I mentioned my excitement at the potential that this the new Labor government has to improve the lives of the people of this town. Of all the areas in which I know Labor can make a positive difference, education and training are two of the most important. Those who know me know of my great passion for education and training. From a young age, it was my intention to become a teacher of deaf children. My career path took a different turn and I decided not to practise my primary teaching qualification, but I have remained committed to quality education and training accessible by all. In particular, I have become focused on the importance of vocational education and training.

Fewer than 30 per cent of students leaving high school go on to study at university. The 1996 census states that Canberra, out of all Australian cities, had the highest proportion of people in the work force with a university qualification, at 27.9 per cent. Equally importantly, the 1996 census also tells us that 48.8 per cent of the labour force in Canberra had no post-school qualifications.

We are all aware that Australia has an ageing population, and it is estimated that people will have between five and 10 different careers in their lifetimes. These figures highlight the growing importance of the training system in our society.

There is a view held by many in our society, especially within the educational sectors, that the only way for young people to get a job, a "real career", is to go to university. With over 70 per cent of high school leavers not continuing to university, this societal view sets young people up for a fall. It provides them with unrealistic expectations and goals. It also means that they are not properly preparing themselves for their future careers.

I also believe that it creates a sense of despair for young people. Much has been said in this place, and in the press, about the drug problem in our society. There has also been much justifiable concern about the high level of youth suicide. It is my personal belief that these two issues can be firmly linked to young people's sense that they have no future prospects.

We need to give young people a future. We need to tell our young people that there are many valid career pathways. We should be telling them that university is only one option among many. They should also know that university might be an option that comes to them at a point later on in life.

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