Meka Whaitiri: Opportunity to give hope to our young generation

Meka Whaitiri

A few weeks ago, along with dozens of friends and whanau, I celebrated my eldest son Nohorua's 21st birthday.

As with many parents who have shared in this milestone with their children, it was an occasion of great pride and happiness. It was also a time for reflection on the challenges of raising a young man - because even with all the love and support in the world, there are always trials in bringing up our young people.

I couldn't help but think about the generation of youth out there in our communities who Bill English famously called "pretty damned hopeless". Well, now with a hugely important general election this Saturday, we have an exciting opportunity to give hope to our rangatahi.

About 72,000 young people in New Zealand are not in employment, education or training and nearly a third of these young people are Maori.

There are now 12,000 more people aged under 24 who are unemployed than there were eight years ago. Maori unemployment has risen to 11.1 per cent and in large part this is driven by high Māori youth unemployment (which is 21 per cent for under 25-years olds). Young Māori are entering the workforce sooner, and with fewer qualifications than others.

We have a generation out there of predominantly young Maori who have been abandoned by this National Government.

Labour believes the Government should give our rangatahi something to hope for and to aspire to, whether it's addressing climate change, making our rivers swimmable again, or the need for job creation.

Jacinda Ardern often speaks of representing "generational change" in our politics and there is real truth in this. I'm not just referring to the rock-star quality Jacinda radiates, which draws mobs of young people to her in search of a selfie - but to the vision and values she represents, and the policy solutions Labour is offering this year.

We are offering housing and families packages which will provide extra support for young families to ensure their children get off to the best possible start, and to tackle the root causes of poverty, homelessness, unemployment and crime.

Māori students have the lowest levels of regular school attendance and are overly represented in truancy figures. Labour's policy to integrate careers advice into learning will not only ensure every pupil has a personalised career plan, but will encourage them to become personally invested in their futures and keep attending class.

There are almost 12,000 fewer apprentices in training today than there were in 2007 under Labour. We will provide a Dole for Apprenticeships scheme to any 18-24 year old who is neither earning nor learning, and give employers the equivalent of the dole to take them on.

We will also give unemployed young people a job for six months doing work of public value, so they can gain work experience and avoid long-term unemployment.

Since 2000, there has been a 65 per cent increase in the number of Maori in full time tertiary study, but the increased costs of living and accommodation are putting too much pressure on students. Tertiary study should be a way out of poverty, not a way into it. Labour will provide three years of free post-school education over a person's lifetime and we have also committed to a $50 per week boost to Student Allowances.

New Zealand has the highest teen suicide rate in the developed world. This is one of the great shames of our nation. Labour will extend School Based Health Services to all public secondary schools so all schools have a comprehensive youth health service. We will also make it easier for those in our community with mental health problems to get the help they need by increasing resources to frontline mental health workers. This policy is expected to help nearly 40,000 people each year.

Labour has a plan to give our rangatahi opportunity and hope. Our vision is that all young people who are able, will be in work, training or education. Despite recent scaremongering, the fact is all our policies have been independently assessed and are fully-costed.

In the first five days of advance voting this year, more than 300,000 New Zealanders had already voted, nearly twice as many who had voted at the same stage in 2014 and a fourfold increase on the numbers in 2011.

My heart and instincts tell me this is a sign of increased youth engagement with this election. Perhaps it is because this year, they really see something to hope for.

Meka Whaitiri is the MP for Ikaroa-Rawhiti and the Labour Party candidate for the electorate in Saturday's general election. Views expressed here are the writer's opinion and not the newspaper's. Email: editor@hbtoday.co.nz