Skip to content
Government NSW, Youth

Monash expert: Young people left out of the NSW state budget

Monash University 2 mins read

A Monash University expert is available to comment on the New South Wales state budget, which was delivered by Treasurer Daniel Mookhey on Tuesday. Similar to the Victorian budget last month, young people have been shortchanged on key funding announcements.

Professor Lucas Walsh, Director of the Monash Centre for Youth Policy and Education Practice
Contact details: +61 468 854 755 or lucas.walsh@monash.edu
Read more of Professor Walsh’s commentary at Monash Lens

The following can be attributed to Professor Walsh:

“The good news is that regional schools will be upgraded and an additional $86.9m will extend programs for young people at risk of committing crimes or reoffending.

“But for most young people, more needs to be done in three key areas: mental health, jobs and a central feature of this year's budget, housing.

“The 30,000 houses promised over four years is far less than the 70,000 needed each year, during a skills shortage while increasing land tax thresholds, continue a policy that tinkers around the edges.

“From 2021 to 2023, we’ve been surveying and interviewing young people aged 18-24 about their work, finances, education, health and wellbeing, relationships and civic participation. When the pandemic began, 31 per cent of Australia's 3.2 million young people lived in NSW – the most of any Australian state. By 2023, almost 84 per cent of young people in NSW highlighted the impact of the pandemic on their mental health – higher than the national average of 81.3 per cent. Nearly half (46 per cent) reported there was not enough government support for mental health.

“In addition, the scarring effects of pandemic lockdowns could last a decade and the ripple effects could be generational.

“More needs to be done now to address this during a critical period of young people's lives.

“Young people’s concerns, to use Treasurer Daniel Mookhey’s words, are must haves and not nice-to-haves.

“At the start of the pandemic, one million young people in NSW were aged 15–24 years. They will be voting in the next election and they urgently need mental health, accommodation and financial support.”

Professor Walsh is co-author of a recent report, The pandemic years and their impact on young people in New South Wales and Victoria.

For more Monash media stories visit our news & events site: monash.edu/news

For any other topics on which you may be seeking expert comment, contact the Monash University Media Unit on +61 3 9903 4840 or media@monash.edu

More from this category

  • Government NSW
  • 06/12/2024
  • 15:00
JOINT MEDIA STATEMENT - NADA, ACON, NUAA, ADARRN

URGENT ACTION NEEDED FOLLOWING NSW DRUG SUMMIT

The following joint statement is from the Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Residential Rehabilitation Network (ADARRN), ACON, the NSW Users and AIDS Association (NUAA), and Network of Alcohol and Other Drugs Agencies (NADA). As organisations and leaders in alcohol and other drug (AOD) services and supporting communities, we call on the NSW Government to work with people with living/lived experience and the AOD sector to take urgent action following the NSW Drug Summit. The multi-day summit heard from a range of people and organisations, including health experts, researchers, support workers and people with lived and living experiences, Aboriginal and Torres Strait…

  • Contains:
  • Women, Youth
  • 06/12/2024
  • 10:06
Chapter One Advisors

Sorrento Surf Lifesaving Club Partners with KaMana to Empower Female Members

Sorrento Surf Lifesaving Club (SoSLSC) is thrilled to announce its partnership with KaMana, a pioneering initiative that supports and empowers young female athletes. This…

  • Contains:
  • Government NSW
  • 05/12/2024
  • 17:26
NCOSS

NCOSS REACTS TO DRUG SUMMIT

Thursday, 5 December 2024 NCOSS has called on the NSW Premier to implement a whole-of-government drug and alcohol strategy after the two-day Drug Summit wrapped up this afternoon. NCOSS CEO Cara Varian said there was robust discussion across the Summit, but the Government now needs to turn this into action. “This Summit brought together a broad group of stakeholders, and we had some productive discussions – but it can’t stop there,” Ms Varian said. “It was clear that we are failing our most marginalised communities, including first nations people, young people and culturally and linguistically diverse communities. People, their families…

  • Contains:

Media Outreach made fast, easy, simple.

Feature your press release on Medianet's News Hub every time you distribute with Medianet. Pay per release or save with a subscription.