Dear Bite backers It is with regret that AYPAC today announced that it will close its doors in late May. AYPAC has survived for the last year without government funding through project work and financial contributions from our members and supporters. I would like to thank you all for the support you have offered over the last year. But alas, we have concluded that AYPAC is unable to operate across a range of important policy areas on our current funding base. The continued existence of a wounded AYPAC disguised that young people were not been actively represented across these areas. The situation was not sustainable. Despite this being a sad day, the broader battle is not over by a long shot. AYPAC members and supporters will be meeting in Canberra on Wednesday 9 June & Thursday 10 June to strategies for the future. We have the continued support of the ALP, Democrats and Greens for the re-funding of a national youth peak. A new youth body may emerge from this meeting. If you are keen on participating, please contact the office (via email) for further details. I have attached our press release and an opinion piece on the issues associated with AYPAC's closure for your information. Once again, thank you. David Matthews Executive Officer Visit the AYPAC Bites Back Website at http://www.aypac.org.au AYPAC - Australian Youth Policy & Action Coalition AYPAC is Australia's peak youth affairs organisation Tel 02 6247 1666 Fax 02 6247 1799 Email aypac @tpgi.com.au PO Box 204 Ainslie ACT 2602 Canberra Australia -- AYPAC Australian Youth Policy and Action Coalition Voices straining to be heard One year after the withdrawal of federal government funding the Australian Youth Policy and Action Coalition (AYPAC) has been forced to close its doors. It is the latest casualty of the Howard Government's attack on advocacy organisations which represent minority voices in the political process. AYPAC is a coalition of diverse youth organisations including the Scouts, YWCA, Australian Rural Youth and State Youth Affairs Councils. It has acted as the primary policy voice for young people since 1991. AYPAC was defunded due to its unwelcome criticism of the government's youth affairs performance. Most notably, AYPAC has been critical of the Common Youth Allowance. This was introduced on 1 July last year - the date that AYPAC ceased receiving government support. AYPAC's demise reflects the low priority accorded to young people by politicians. Successive federal government activities since the International Year of Youth in 1985, when youth issues were labelled 'priority one', have failed to address important policy issues. Despite the appointment of a Minister for Youth Affairs in Cabinet by the Coalition in 1996 there is little evidence of increased emphasis on youth issues or a genuine holistic approach to youth affairs. There has been no national youth policy since 1993. Neither of the major parties issued a youth policy at the last federal election. When young people do receive attention, they are increasingly seen as problems that need to be 'fixed'. Maturation and skill deficiencies are seen to cause high youth unemployment, not a lack of job opportunities. Drug abuse, suicide and crime are the areas of public policy most often associated with young people. The solutions on offer are often laced with negative messages about youth. Young people themselves have few opportunities to participate directly in policy debates and propose their own solutions. The other prominent view of youth is one of articulate high achievers preparing to assume future leadership roles. Not only does this ignore that many young people are already making an active contribution, it once again locks young people out of a genuine role in decision making. Indeed, aside from policy disagreements with the Government, AYPAC's defunding reflects the reduced importance attached to involving a range of people in the policy process. The role of advocates for minority voices has come under threat. This is in part due to Howard government's goal of eliminating 'political correctness' where minority interests are seen as coming at the expense of the greater good. The government has defunded at least a dozen peak bodies, each responsible for giving voice to a section of the community or issue that would otherwise not be heard. Representative networks of community organisations have been labelled as out of touch filtering mechanisms, and many have been frozen out of government consultative processes or experienced pressure not to speak out against government policy. The constructive role they play in working towards a fairer society is being overlooked. It appears that dissenting voices are no longer welcome in the political process. The community sector's traditional role of monitoring and reporting on government performance for the disadvantaged is seen only as a political management problem. AYPAC provides an example of the cost of being too vocal. Groups that speak out publicly do so at there own peril. Many organisations are now unwilling to make media comment on issues that will cause friction. However, in a transparent and modern democracy, the community sector should continue to play this monitoring role. It is often community organisations that are responsible for implementing government policy. They are also often left to pick up the pieces when these policies fail. It was AYPAC's activity in performing this monitoring function that caused friction with the Government. Youth Minister Kemp has argued that AYPAC failed to perform its role adequately, and that it was out of touch with the views and aspirations of Australia's young people. But the policy agenda promoted by AYPAC was largely reflected recently by the government's new Youth Roundtable - a 50 member advisory body which meets twice a year. The Roundtable might be a means to consult with some young people, but it is no substitute for an organisation which can monitor government activity in a sustained way. At a time as our social safety net is coming under increasing strain, the Prime Minister's has made a welcome attempt to promote a greater philanthropic Australian business culture. The PM must however re-asses his government's approach to working in partnership with the community sector. A robust public debate improves public policy and strengthens democracy. Public funding for public voices ensures that we hear the voices that are straining to be heard. David Matthews AYPAC Executive Officer 29 April 1999 -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
