My previous post regarding this 'general discussion' issue;

Link to 1st Story

The following article continues the debate. It's important to us.

Story Link

Time to end the waste of talent
By Opposition Leader Kim Beazley
08feb00

THE front page of the Adelaide Advertiser yesterday would have raised alarm bells for all South Australian parents about the future of young people in their state.

As the article said, an entire generation of talent is in danger of being lost to unemployment unless something is done. That South Australia has a youth unemployment rate nearly 50 per cent higher than the rest of the country  34.1 per cent compared to 23.3 per cent  shows that state and federal government policies are failing.

Parents know that to get a job in the growth areas of today's economy, young people need better education and skills.

They also know that high youth unemployment and lack of hope for our kids are among the many complex causes of the high levels of youth drug abuse, crime and even suicide.

Despite this, the Howard Government has cut more than $76 million from SA's three universities since taking office.

The Education Minister, Dr David Kemp, stated recently that newer universities such as the University of South Australia "should never have been created".

South Australian TAFE colleges have lost their growth funding and are struggling to make ends meet.

South Australia has been one of the states hardest hit by economic change, so for government to make savage cuts is the wrong policy. Government needs to show the way by creating opportunities for all citizens.

South Australians need a new direction.

What Mr Howard and Dr Kemp do not understand is that education is an investment in our children's future, not just a cost.

I have believed for some time that Australia must become the Knowledge Nation if it is to provide higher living standards for all in the 21st century.

In other words, we must become more highly skilled and develop modern infrastructure that connects us with the world's high-demand industries, such as information technology, education, health, hospitality and tourism.

South Australia has a proud history as one of the intellectual leaders of Australia. Its schools and universities have a national reputation for excellence.

Unfortunately, too many of the young people coming through these institutions who should be building the future for South Australia and driving the creation of new jobs have been forced elsewhere by the Howard Government's lack of investment. We have got to stop this "brain drain" and rebuild South Australia's population base.

Between now and the next election, I will be presenting a new vision which will show how Labor intends to rebuild South Australia and create new jobs for our young people.

The key themes will be better education and investment in modern infrastructure.

Initiatives will include:

INVESTMENT in our universities and TAFE colleges to provide more people with skills in the growth areas like IT, health, education, hospitality and tourism.

INCREASING school retention rates by rebuilding our primary and secondary school system.

BOOSTING services to the regions, particularly health services, not just making hollow promises to halt further closures.

IMPROVING infrastructure in fields such as communications and transport.

SA can lead the way in the creation of the Knowledge Nation.

All that it needs is governments with the courage to show the way.

Mr Beazley is the Leader of the Federal Opposition.

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Comment:
In the past (Microsoft?) Talent Scouts have solicited local talent and at least one notable young person of talent has moved on to overseas employment in Germany. Others move to America or interstate because nothing holds them here in rural Australia.

Left behind are an aging population demanding services like health and care. It is interesting to observe that the Labor Party is rallying on this issue, better late than never. Times are changing once again.

-- Pieter (zaadz@icisp.net.au), February 07, 2000

Answers

We need better education for our young folks world-wide...

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), February 07, 2000.

I really like to read updates from your country. I also like to read updates from any other places it make our world smaller. We can't judge what is really going on in the world without updates. I truely care about what is going on in the world. People are just people the world over.

-- ET (bneville@zebra.net), February 07, 2000.