· Six months ago Labor closed Chance on Main by refusing funding
· Now Labor is advertising for applications for funding for targeted youth support services for children at risk of offending
· Labor doesn’t care about the kids; it’s all about election timing
The Government has backflipped again, this time in relation to targeted youth support services for those at risk of entering the youth justice system.
Just six months ago the State Labor Government failed to provide ongoing funding to Chance on Main, a program which had an 82% success rate in preventing re-offending and deterring young people from Ashley, and had a significant role in a 20% reduction of youth crime in the Glenorchy area.
The Minister for Human Services, Lin Thorp, said ‘there is no identifiable budget or grant program available in youth justice services to provide funding for Chance on Main’ (Mercury, 17 June 2009).
As a result, Chance on Main closed its doors, after helping close to 300 young people stay out of trouble and get back into education and training.
Since its closure several young people who had been participating in the program have offended and some have gone into Ashley.
Another young person who was attending the program went from being suspended from school 7 times in one year to twice in 2 years, but since the closure of Chance on Main that person is unable to access mentors and counsellors and now has criminal charges pending.
Labor’s ill-considered closure of this program and its’ backflip on the benefit of programs like Chance on Main is shameful.
For purely self-centred reasons, the Government allowed a successful youth support program to close, put the lives of young people at risk and has now, six months later, miraculously found funding to suit its election timing.
If it is serious about youth, Labor should fund Chance on Main to re-open its doors, and then this successful model should be replicated in other parts of the State.
Brett Whiteley MP Shadow Minister for Health and Human Services
