The hype and excitement of Kevin07 has become Mistake08 for young Australians

24-November-2008

Today marks the anniversary of the election of the Rudd Labor Government and young Australians around the country have the right to feel totally neglected and let down by Kevin Rudd and his Government who have delivered nothing but a new compulsory student fee at university, Shadow Minister for Youth Sophie Mirabella said today.

“There is no denying that many young Australians embraced the tacky symbolism of KEVIN07 and supported Kevin Rudd and Labor at the last election. Those same young Australians today will feel very let down by a government that promised so much but has delivered very little for the young people in our society,” Mrs Mirabella said.

“At a time of global economic uncertainty, rising living costs, and unemployment soaring under the watch of the Labor government, Kevin Rudd has provided some assistance for our seniors and families with recent bonuses and payouts, but has completely ignored the very young Australians who helped him into the lodge.”

“A year on and young Australians have been left out in the cold by the Rudd Government and their “new ideas and fresh leadership” have been exposed as nothing more than empty rhetoric and spin designed and crafted to win over voters,” Mrs Mirabella said.

“The Youth Minster has continually highlighted that the Rudd Government re-instated the Youth Portfolio, however a fancy title for the Minister in place of policy just doesn’t cut it. The Rudd Government seriously believes that indulging in countless amounts of Youth Summits, commissioning endless young peoples reviews and setting up Youth Forums is real work – Young Australians have been continually and shamefully been let down by Kevin Rudd and Labor over the past year.”

“The latest Labor ploy just highlights the contempt the Rudd Government has for young Australians. The Government has thoughtlessly decided to put their own political ideology and mantra ahead of the wellbeing of studying young Australians who will now have to return to the dark days of compulsory student fees at university,” Mrs Mirabella said.

“If young people are old enough to vote they’re old enough to decide how to spend their money and what organisations to be part of – why won’t the Labor Party trust young people?”

“Young Australians right around the country today will be asking themselves why has a year gone by and KEVIN07 has not delivered on his promises for young Australian – KEVIN07 will now be known as MISTAKE08,” Mrs Mirabella concluded.