Equality, employment and education were among major issues of importance to Tasmanian children, a new report has revealed.
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Tasmania’s Children’s Commissioner Mark Morrissey launched the Listening to Children and Young People in Tasmania 2016 report on Friday.
Equality and respect and education and opportunities were what most young Tasmanians involved in the commissioner’s survey would like to see changed in Tasmania.
Participants, who were all aged under 18, also chose politics and social justice and environment and health as issues they would like to see addressed.
Most children said equality and respect made a good society for young people.
Respondents said education and opportunities and transport were issues not working well for them and other youths in their communities.
Bullying and safety were also discuss, and the report revealed that “[children] thought that teachers and schools could do more to prevent and respond to bullying in the classroom, and were clear about the need to understand the reasons behind why a child might bully another”.
“Health care, and in particular mental health, was mentioned both in the consultations and the online survey as an area of concern for children and young people,” the report said.
“This report will inform my discussions with the Tasmanian Government and other key stakeholders about priorities for children and young people in Tasmania,” Mr Morrissey wrote in the report.
“It will also form the basis for planning discussions for my work and my priorities in 2017.”
Mr Morrissey said children and young people in Tasmania wanted education that was relevant to future employment, wanted qualified and supportive teachers, and better responses to bullying and student behaviour.
One survey respondent said: “I am learning from a curriculum that teaches me how to find the circumference of a circle which is all well and good, until I grow older and am thrust into adulthood where I suddenly have to pay taxes and do all these other things I can’t even begin to know how to do.”
Mr Morrissey encouraged the Tasmanian community “to take the time to listen to children and young people, and provide genuine opportunities for them to participate in public debate”.
