❓ The Minister acknowledges increasing youth debt and highlights the government's response: establishing a dedicated youth financial counselling service funded at over $250,000 over three years, provided by the Youth Legal Service.
AnsweredQoN 977Legislative Assembly
Asked
21 August 2003
Member
Portfolio
Community Development, Women’s Interests, Seniors and Youth
QuestionView source ↗
Increasing youth debt is a serious concern. What is the minister doing to assist young people in this regard? Ms S.M. McHALE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for her question. She has been lobbying me on some of the needs of young people in her electorate and I appreciate that. She is right. We know that young people are increasingly getting themselves into financial difficulties. The Government has responded to that by establishing the first dedicated youth counselling service, which I officially launched today. The figures on bankruptcies indicate that 41 per cent of Western Australian bankrupts are under the age of 34, and many are much younger than that. The three debt traps among young people are car loans, credit cards and mobile phones. I want all members to know about this service because, unfortunately, it will probably be used. Nevertheless, this Government is responding in a significant way to these very real needs. This dedicated youth financial counselling service will offer support in understanding legal contracts, developing financial plans and reducing credit pressure and will provide advice on housing issues such as eviction and access to affordable housing. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Ms S.M. McHALE: This is an initiative of this Government. It will be funded to the tune of more than a quarter of a million dollars over the next three years. The service will be provided by the Youth Legal Service. Several members interjected. Ms S.M. McHALE: Members may not accept that this is a real problem. However, if they talk to their electors they will learn that young people, unwittingly or otherwise, get themselves into significant financial debt. We are trying to help these young people avoid those financial difficulties. I am very proud of this initiative because it demonstrates that we are responding to the needs of young people in a relevant and very sensitive way.
Ms S.M. McHALE replied: I thank the member for her question. She has been lobbying me on some of the needs of young people in her electorate and I appreciate that. She is right. We know that young people are increasingly getting themselves into financial difficulties. The Government has responded to that by establishing the first dedicated youth counselling service, which I officially launched today. The figures on bankruptcies indicate that 41 per cent of Western Australian bankrupts are under the age of 34, and many are much younger than that. The three debt traps among young people are car loans, credit cards and mobile phones. I want all members to know about this service because, unfortunately, it will probably be used. Nevertheless, this Government is responding in a significant way to these very real needs. This dedicated youth financial counselling service will offer support in understanding legal contracts, developing financial plans and reducing credit pressure and will provide advice on housing issues such as eviction and access to affordable housing. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Ms S.M. McHALE: This is an initiative of this Government. It will be funded to the tune of more than a quarter of a million dollars over the next three years. The service will be provided by the Youth Legal Service. Several members interjected. Ms S.M. McHALE: Members may not accept that this is a real problem. However, if they talk to their electors they will learn that young people, unwittingly or otherwise, get themselves into significant financial debt. We are trying to help these young people avoid those financial difficulties. I am very proud of this initiative because it demonstrates that we are responding to the needs of young people in a relevant and very sensitive way.
I thank the member for her question. She has been lobbying me on some of the needs of young people in her electorate and I appreciate that. She is right. We know that young people are increasingly getting themselves into financial difficulties. The Government has responded to that by establishing the first dedicated youth counselling service, which I officially launched today. The figures on bankruptcies indicate that 41 per cent of Western Australian bankrupts are under the age of 34, and many are much younger than that. The three debt traps among young people are car loans, credit cards and mobile phones. I want all members to know about this service because, unfortunately, it will probably be used. Nevertheless, this Government is responding in a significant way to these very real needs. This dedicated youth financial counselling service will offer support in understanding legal contracts, developing financial plans and reducing credit pressure and will provide advice on housing issues such as eviction and access to affordable housing. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Ms S.M. McHALE: This is an initiative of this Government. It will be funded to the tune of more than a quarter of a million dollars over the next three years. The service will be provided by the Youth Legal Service. Several members interjected. Ms S.M. McHALE: Members may not accept that this is a real problem. However, if they talk to their electors they will learn that young people, unwittingly or otherwise, get themselves into significant financial debt. We are trying to help these young people avoid those financial difficulties. I am very proud of this initiative because it demonstrates that we are responding to the needs of young people in a relevant and very sensitive way.
Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Ms S.M. McHALE: This is an initiative of this Government. It will be funded to the tune of more than a quarter of a million dollars over the next three years. The service will be provided by the Youth Legal Service. Several members interjected. Ms S.M. McHALE: Members may not accept that this is a real problem. However, if they talk to their electors they will learn that young people, unwittingly or otherwise, get themselves into significant financial debt. We are trying to help these young people avoid those financial difficulties. I am very proud of this initiative because it demonstrates that we are responding to the needs of young people in a relevant and very sensitive way.
Ms S.M. McHALE: This is an initiative of this Government. It will be funded to the tune of more than a quarter of a million dollars over the next three years. The service will be provided by the Youth Legal Service. Several members interjected. Ms S.M. McHALE: Members may not accept that this is a real problem. However, if they talk to their electors they will learn that young people, unwittingly or otherwise, get themselves into significant financial debt. We are trying to help these young people avoid those financial difficulties. I am very proud of this initiative because it demonstrates that we are responding to the needs of young people in a relevant and very sensitive way.
Several members interjected. Ms S.M. McHALE: Members may not accept that this is a real problem. However, if they talk to their electors they will learn that young people, unwittingly or otherwise, get themselves into significant financial debt. We are trying to help these young people avoid those financial difficulties. I am very proud of this initiative because it demonstrates that we are responding to the needs of young people in a relevant and very sensitive way.
Ms S.M. McHALE: Members may not accept that this is a real problem. However, if they talk to their electors they will learn that young people, unwittingly or otherwise, get themselves into significant financial debt. We are trying to help these young people avoid those financial difficulties. I am very proud of this initiative because it demonstrates that we are responding to the needs of young people in a relevant and very sensitive way.
Ms S.M. McHALE replied: I thank the member for her question. She has been lobbying me on some of the needs of young people in her electorate and I appreciate that. She is right. We know that young people are increasingly getting themselves into financial difficulties. The Government has responded to that by establishing the first dedicated youth counselling service, which I officially launched today. The figures on bankruptcies indicate that 41 per cent of Western Australian bankrupts are under the age of 34, and many are much younger than that. The three debt traps among young people are car loans, credit cards and mobile phones. I want all members to know about this service because, unfortunately, it will probably be used. Nevertheless, this Government is responding in a significant way to these very real needs. This dedicated youth financial counselling service will offer support in understanding legal contracts, developing financial plans and reducing credit pressure and will provide advice on housing issues such as eviction and access to affordable housing. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Ms S.M. McHALE: This is an initiative of this Government. It will be funded to the tune of more than a quarter of a million dollars over the next three years. The service will be provided by the Youth Legal Service. Several members interjected. Ms S.M. McHALE: Members may not accept that this is a real problem. However, if they talk to their electors they will learn that young people, unwittingly or otherwise, get themselves into significant financial debt. We are trying to help these young people avoid those financial difficulties. I am very proud of this initiative because it demonstrates that we are responding to the needs of young people in a relevant and very sensitive way.
I thank the member for her question. She has been lobbying me on some of the needs of young people in her electorate and I appreciate that. She is right. We know that young people are increasingly getting themselves into financial difficulties. The Government has responded to that by establishing the first dedicated youth counselling service, which I officially launched today. The figures on bankruptcies indicate that 41 per cent of Western Australian bankrupts are under the age of 34, and many are much younger than that. The three debt traps among young people are car loans, credit cards and mobile phones. I want all members to know about this service because, unfortunately, it will probably be used. Nevertheless, this Government is responding in a significant way to these very real needs. This dedicated youth financial counselling service will offer support in understanding legal contracts, developing financial plans and reducing credit pressure and will provide advice on housing issues such as eviction and access to affordable housing. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Ms S.M. McHALE: This is an initiative of this Government. It will be funded to the tune of more than a quarter of a million dollars over the next three years. The service will be provided by the Youth Legal Service. Several members interjected. Ms S.M. McHALE: Members may not accept that this is a real problem. However, if they talk to their electors they will learn that young people, unwittingly or otherwise, get themselves into significant financial debt. We are trying to help these young people avoid those financial difficulties. I am very proud of this initiative because it demonstrates that we are responding to the needs of young people in a relevant and very sensitive way.
Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Ms S.M. McHALE: This is an initiative of this Government. It will be funded to the tune of more than a quarter of a million dollars over the next three years. The service will be provided by the Youth Legal Service. Several members interjected. Ms S.M. McHALE: Members may not accept that this is a real problem. However, if they talk to their electors they will learn that young people, unwittingly or otherwise, get themselves into significant financial debt. We are trying to help these young people avoid those financial difficulties. I am very proud of this initiative because it demonstrates that we are responding to the needs of young people in a relevant and very sensitive way.
Ms S.M. McHALE: This is an initiative of this Government. It will be funded to the tune of more than a quarter of a million dollars over the next three years. The service will be provided by the Youth Legal Service. Several members interjected. Ms S.M. McHALE: Members may not accept that this is a real problem. However, if they talk to their electors they will learn that young people, unwittingly or otherwise, get themselves into significant financial debt. We are trying to help these young people avoid those financial difficulties. I am very proud of this initiative because it demonstrates that we are responding to the needs of young people in a relevant and very sensitive way.
Several members interjected. Ms S.M. McHALE: Members may not accept that this is a real problem. However, if they talk to their electors they will learn that young people, unwittingly or otherwise, get themselves into significant financial debt. We are trying to help these young people avoid those financial difficulties. I am very proud of this initiative because it demonstrates that we are responding to the needs of young people in a relevant and very sensitive way.
Ms S.M. McHALE: Members may not accept that this is a real problem. However, if they talk to their electors they will learn that young people, unwittingly or otherwise, get themselves into significant financial debt. We are trying to help these young people avoid those financial difficulties. I am very proud of this initiative because it demonstrates that we are responding to the needs of young people in a relevant and very sensitive way.
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