SADD Conference

St Patricks College, Silverstream

Mihi.

Good afternoon - it's good to be here at the SADD Conference after hearing so many great things about your organisation.

It's awesome that so many people are involved in what you do and that SADD is widely known about. Your messages about drink driving are important, but equally important are the messages you communicate about young people and how they can have a positive impact in society.

Perception of young people

One of the things that has bugged me recently though is that young people often have a negative profile. Most weeks you will find stories in the media about young people. The stories you read aren't about celebrating success, showing positive role models or telling us about the great things that people like you get up to.

The stories we read about young people are about suicide, crime, drunken riots, violence.... and so the list goes on.

I think that if you were to be cut off from contact with others and only had the media to inform you about New Zealand today, you would quickly come to the conclusion that young people were in crisis, that they had no hope and a bleak future.

I know that that is not the case. I have visited heaps of youth organisations and groups all round the country. There are literally hundreds of adults out there doing good work for the benefit of young people. And, there are literally thousands of young people who are contributing positively to the community that they live in.

For about 90% of young people life is fine. OK, they have their ups and downs - we all do - they experience the turbulent years of adolescence - we all do - and they face an ever changing social and technological environment - yet again, we all do.

So, being a New Zealand adolescent isn't that bad. We don't have to worry about civil war in our country, terrible pollution problems, or much more serious crime. Most young people come from loving families who will be there for them in times of need. Young New Zealanders do need something though - they need to be listened too, they need to be understood, and they need to be catered for.

Lots of teenagers feel that they are misunderstood and hard done by, especially by the older generation.

This isn't a surprise when the majority of adults are still quick to generalise and judge a teenager by appearance. For example someone with a mohawk is instantly associated with punks and thought to be violent and dangerous, someone into grunge is seen as dirty and a drop-out whereas someone who is nicely dressed is seen as honest and sweet.

Similarly, young people have to question their perception of older people. We are sometimes guilty of stereotyping older people too - boring, old, judgemental. So, we've got to make sure we keep talking to each other: young and old. We can learn from each other, especially when it comes to an issue like drink driving.

Positive peer pressure You at SADD are well experienced in partnerships, and perhaps others should be looking at how well you utilise partnerships to your best advantage.

The value of positive peer pressure is immense. As we all know peer pressure - at any age - can be immense. Whether it's bullying, smoking, drinking or sex, we are all - at some time - pressured into doing something to keep in with the crowd.

You've utilised the tool of peer pressure into a positive thing by sending the message that it's not cool to drink and drive. I believe it has paid off. By far, the younger generations show up less often in the drink driving statistics. The offenders are often the "oldies", and the victims often the young.

The drink driving message has firmly got through to us - but we can't be complacent, and that is why you must keep your message strong, vibrant, new and explicit. You mustn't let the message get bland.

Over the last few months I have been lobbying for the drinking age to be lowered to 18. I believe that as young people we are sent mixed messages about when we can do things, when we're competent and when we are classed as an adult.

Already up to 95% of 18 - 20 year olds are drinking alcohol. Unfortunately some are not being safe with alcohol. Whether it be too much alcohol, uncontrolled circumstances or dangerous venues - alcohol can be, and is, easily abused.

Alcohol is part of New Zealand society, and we shouldn't try and change that. What I want to change is our attitude to alcohol so that all of us respect it.

As I said earlier the drink drive message clearly tells young people that it's not cool to drink and drive. I want to create a similar message about alcohol abuse. We need young people to be saying that it is not cool to be off your face, vomiting, abusing your friends or feeling up strangers.

Parliament will debate the proposed changes in the drinking laws next year. I will be campaigning for the age to be 18 with no exceptions, and for there to be an ID card of some sort.

Part of the reason I have been campaigning strongly to lower the legal drinking age is as a result of the 1994 Youth Parliament.

The Youth Parliament vigorously debated the issue of the legal drinking age and voted to lower it from 20 years to 18. The Ministry of Youth Affairs took this information serioously, and used it in their submission to the group reviewing liquor laws.

Now we are likely to see a Bill progressing through Parliament that will enact the wishes of the 1994 Youth MPs.

Through this process we saw youth participation in action.

Very often we hear young people saying that they can't control events or policies. That's just not true - it's just that you've got to be aware of opportunities and be loud about what you want.

There are Youth Councils, community forums, the media, youth organisations, you can lobby your Local Council, you can make submissions to Parliament; and if you're 18 - you can vote!

Retirement Savings Scheme Referendum We will be voting this year, though not for MPs - we will be voting for the future.

In September the country will decide whether it will adopt a new way of saving for your retirement. I realise that for all of you that's a long way off - but actually, this referendum affects you most.

Currently New Zealanders finance their retirement through a system that is paid for by taxes.

The trouble is that the population is getting older, and by the year 2040 there will only be two working age people per retired person while currently there are five and a half working aged people per retired person.

Quite simply, because there will be more retired people and fewer people paying taxes the country will not be able to afford to provide pensions.

The Government has designed a new scheme that will force everyone to save 8% of their income into a private scheme that will provide enough money for them in retirement.

I believe that the scheme designed is fair, secure and equitable. It ensures that you save for yourself, and that if you can't, the Government will top you up.

Instead of paying taxes you will put money away into your own Retirement Savings Scheme - that way politicians can't play with your money, because it's yours.

It's a complicated idea to vote on. What I want you to do is find out as much as possible about the options and make your own mind up. I'm sure that once you've heard the facts you will vote YES but I do urge you to listen to the facts on the Retirement Savings Scheme before you vote later in the year.

Remember - if you don't vote you lose your say and you'll let the huge voting block of older generations decide your future. All I ask is that you find out the facts and VOTE!

In any aspect of life if you want to make a change, then you've got to take action.

I'm sure that you've discussed many things at your conference over the last few days - you'll have lots of plans, ideas, contacts and information.

For SADD, like anything else you've got to take action if you want to make a change. So, don't leave here just having had a great time, leave here and go make a difference!

END