Page 1668 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 15 May 2019
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ultimately increase their collective impact. I move this motion with the strongest encouragement and endorsement and I look forward to the support of this chamber and the government in prioritising this issue.
MS STEPHEN-SMITH (Kurrajong—Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Minister for Disability, Minister for Children, Youth and Families, Minister for Employment and Workplace Safety, Minister for Government Services and Procurement, Minister for Urban Renewal) (10.22): I thank Ms Cheyne for bringing this important motion to the Assembly today and for giving us an opportunity to reflect on the importance of sexual health to our community. I support the motion, particularly to the extent that it seeks to improve the sexual health outcomes for Canberra’s young people. In particular, it gives me an opportunity to talk about some of the great work being done by the government’s youth advisory council, or YAC, in this space.
As members will be aware, YAC is an independent voice for young people in the ACT. It enables young people to take a leading role in participation and consultation activities on issues that affect their lives. YAC stands up for Canberra’s young people and advises the government on issues that affect them. For those who need a little reminder, it comprises up to 15 members aged between 12 and 25.
Last year the young people who sit on the YAC identified sexual health and wellbeing as an issue worthy of their effort and attention. As Ms Cheyne has touched on, we know that sexual health is an issue young people care about but may also feel uncertain or embarrassed to talk about. We know that sexual health is an issue that a lot of parents and carers worry about on behalf of the young people in their lives but, again, they may not always feel comfortable in discussing the issue.
Young people may also face particular challenges in feeling secure to access sexual health services. As Ms Cheyne’s motion notes, there are some fantastic sexual health services operating in the ACT. Among young people especially, raising awareness of these services is crucial to improving outcomes. Ms Cheyne’s motion touches on some of the statistics that speak to why it is so important that we improve sexual health outcomes in our city.
That is why it has been absolutely fantastic to see YAC undertake its very own youth-led awareness campaign, in partnership with Sexual Health and Family Planning ACT, or SHFPACT, to help ensure that young people understand how to stay safe and healthy in their sexual lives. The YAC and SHFPACT partnered to produce postcards which provide tips for young people to, in their words, “stay safe in the wild”. The YAC’s campaign is an example of young people using their own language to talk to other young people about sexual health.
I always enjoy my meetings with the YAC co-chairs but a particular highlight was the time they first showed me their postcards which eye-catchingly displayed the letters DTF in large, bold font on the front followed by a question mark. For those who are unfamiliar with this initialism spelling it out would, I fear, be unparliamentary so I instead advise interested members to use their favourite search engine or simply ask a young person.
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