Monday 11 Feb 2002

Dr Muriel Newman

Press Releases -- Social Welfare

ACT Youth Affairs Spokesman Dr Muriel Newman says the whole of New Zealand, and particularly young people have been let down by Youth Development Strategy Aotearoa, released today.

"Even by the standards of this Government, the 52-page document is a disgrace. It's billed as the country's `first comprehensive youth strategy'- but there's no strategy in the document at all. It's a concoction of sound-good, feel-good, no-good claptrap.

"It defies belief that a process which took 18 months and involved consultation with 1400 young people could come up with such an empty document.

"Our young people don't want to hear flowery, meaningless expressions - they want a real strategy that will lead them to successful and productive lives.

"ACT says it is vitally important the country does have a genuine strategy for the development of our young, but vacant platitudes are not the way to go," Dr Newman said.

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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