National Leadership Forum

I’d like to begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we gather today, the Ngunnawal people, and pay my respects to their Elders past and present.

I’d also like to extend that respect to any First Nations people joining us today.

Well, being asked to speak after the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition is leaving me some big shoes to fill!

I’m Jess Walsh, the Minister for Youth.

My job is to help young leaders, like yourself, engage with Government, to find your voice, and have a say.

Today, I want to share with you some thoughts on how you can do that, and why it’s so important that you do.

If there’s one thing you take from my remarks today, I want it to be this:

You belong in this place.

You, as young people, belong in all the places decisions are made.

And it is so important, because young voices deserve to heard.

The decisions we make here in this place impact you today, tomorrow, and well into the future.

That’s why I am so glad you’re here.

So, how can you go about leading the change you want to make in the world?

Before I came into Parliament, I worked in a union alongside young people in the hospitality industry, and I saw some  answers to that question.

These young people were hard-working, dedicated, and loved  their jobs.

But the conditions many of them were facing were simply  unacceptable.

From rampant sexual harassment, to systematic wage theft at  the hands of certain celebrity chefs.

 

For so many people, young and old, in the industry, the situation felt hopeless.

But it was a group of brilliant young people who decided to do… something about it.

They came together.

They researched, planned, and strategized.

They told their stories to whoever would listen.

To politicians, community leaders, to the media and spoke up.

They even hit the streets to make sure everyone knew how their favourite restaurants, bars and pubs were really being run.

They found the people with power – and they made them listen.

They demanded change.

They demanded that employers respect their right to workplaces free of harassment.

They demanded the wages that they were legally entitled to, and most importantly – they demanded real, long-term change.

Spoiler alert: they won.

They didn’t just win backpay and hold large Masterchef chains to account.

They changed the law in two states, and then they changed it  nationally.

Because of these brilliant young people, wage theft is now a crime.

Just like stealing money from your boss is a crime.

There’s two key points on how to make change that I want you to take away from this story:

One: When you decide to raise your voice – you’ve already taken the first step to claiming your power.

It can feel scary to do so, but nothing changes if people who care about things don’t speak up

Two: Your voice will be more powerful when you join together with other young people who feel the same way, share similar experiences, or want to make the same change to the world that you do.

As Minister for Youth, I look forward to hearing your stories of success as young leaders, tomorrow and into the future.

I hope that you will raise your voices.

I hope you’ll elevate the voices of other young people too.

And I know you’ll achieve the change you want to see.