Why we should be encouraging our teens to be more activist
Yesterday’s nationwide protests against government inaction on climate change struck a nerve for many, gained extensive media coverage and provoked the Government to play schoolyard bully in response.
It was breathtaking to read the Government’s response to the thousands of teens and kids that protested yesterday.
One choice example featured in the Sydney Morning Herald was this statement by Resources Minister Matt Canavan:
“The best thing you’ll learn about going to a protest is how to join the dole queue. Because that’s what your future life will look like, up in a line asking for a handout, not actually taking charge for your life and getting a real job.”
Sorry, what?
How someone can equate students having the courage and commitment to organise a nation-wide protest and rally thousands of others to join in as an activity that will set them up for failure in life beggars belief.
The Skills I Gained from Being an Activist
I have assisted with and participated in many protests and media events over the years including the Waterbirth Action Rally in 2004 where were sat in an inflatable kiddie pool in front of Queensland Health in protest of the RBWH pulling the plug on baths in labour (quite literally). They still don’t allow women in the mainstream ward access but many other hospitals do, and I’d like to think our actions contributed to that.
In 2007, I helped gain media attention for a rally for maternity care reform outside Parliament House in Canberra and 2 years later, 4000 women, men, and children descended on the lawns of Parliament House in what was arguably the biggest rally for maternity care reform in the world.
Medicare for Midwives would not have been possible without these radical actions by dedicated, ordinary extraordinary people who were willing to protest.
The skills I gained from organising events like these powerfully set me up for success and a never-say-die attitude in my startup. Notably, many of the women who were instrumental in these actions have gone on to be community and corporate leaders including Melissa Fox (pictured above) who heads up Health Consumers Queensland and Justine Caines who earned an Order of Australia for her tireless dedication to the cause.
I learned a hell of a lot more about organising events, media relations, resourcefulness and creativity than I ever did by sitting in a school classroom.
Kids of Australia, Keep Leading the Way
So, to the kids of Australia I say: keep making your voices heard. By fully expressing your views, you contribute to the broader conversation. By showing how important this issue is to you, you sway public opinion… and we all know that soon you’ll be voting yourselves.
Hell, I texted my kids and asked why they weren’t protesting. Turns out they didn’t know about it in time. Clearly word hadn’t spread to Brisbane’s western suburbs.
Next time.
Bullying School Kids is Not Okay Minister Canavan
Minster Canavan doesn’t help himself or the Australian Government by making uninformed and out-of-touch statements that taunt our future leaders. In fact, what his statement demonstrates is that our Government is all about creating compliant citizens, not empowered leaders.
No wonder our Federal Government lacks real leadership. If there was real leadership they would prioritise innovation funding, make sure that schools were set up to foster entrepreneurs, and encourage students to express themselves…. not to mention take action to protect our environment for future generations.
