Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 4 Hansard (11 April) . . Page.. 1035 ..

MRS CROSS (continuing):

course, so to speak. It is only with hindsight that you can appreciate the true value of this time.

National Youth Week is a time for us to celebrate youthfulness. Unfortunately, all we usually hear about young people is negative. It is true that the challenges of children, adolescents, teenagers and students are often not easily traversed. However, the mistakes and waywardness of a few often stigmatise and overshadow the achievements and social progress of the many.

To hear some people speak about youth-no-one here, of course-you would think they were all troublemaking, dope-smoking, unwashed, foul-mouthed freaks. Of course, we know that is not true. Young people do sometimes struggle, but we need to remember something: they are adjusting to the world that older generations have shaped for them to live in.

A feature of young behaviour that is often interpreted as a negative is actually an important role for any community. Part of growing up and developing as an individual involves challenging the boundaries of society. That is a good thing. It is not rebellion. It is natural. It is healthy and ensures that humanity does not stagnate. It may not always be done in ways that are appreciated or perhaps appropriate but youth are exuberant. Their impatience with the world, their energy and their stubborn determination to make a contribution can be refreshing.

It is natural for older people to resist change, but let us not forget that humankind has benefited greatly from young people who continually push the envelope. Some of the world's greatest leaders and discoverers were under 25 years old when they did their thing. I am thinking of historical figures like Alexander the Great, who was 20 years old when he became king. Cleopatra, who most people mistake as an Egyptian but who was actually a Greek, was 18 years old when she became Queen of Egypt. She came from the Greek Ptolemy family.

Others who pursued dreams and made great strides were people like William Shakespeare, and Wilbur and Orville Wright.

Mr Quinlan: Was Bill a Greek too?

MRS CROSS: No, Mr Treasurer. I am sure he was related to you. I am not sure how to view this next achievement, but my next example is something of a youth cult figure these days. I refer to Gentleman Jack Daniel, who was just seven years old when he built and illegally commercially operated his first whisky still. He later legally founded the Jack Daniel's distillery in 1866. More recently, Bill Gates, founded the Microsoft company in 1975 at the age of 20.

There have also been significant achievements on the local front. Entrepreneurs like Poppy King, who founded a sizeable international cosmetics empire at the age of 18, have been a shining example of young people who are willing to have a go.

Mr Speaker, that list was plucked out of the ether by my staff this morning, but I think it shows that young people can, and do, make a sizeable contribution to the world they live in, whatever the era.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .