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Schetzer, Louis --- "Youth Affairs" [2001] AltLawJl 109; (2001) 26(6) Alternative Law Journal 304

YOUTH AFFAIRS

Western Australian government to lower age of consent for homosexuals

The newly elected WA Labor government has announced that it will amend the State's regressive age of consent laws for homosexuals. WA Attorney­ General Jim McGinty announced in August that Cabinet has approved legislation for the age of consent for homo­ sexual sex to be lowered from 21 to 16. The change is part of a wider legislative package to be passed by the WA government, which includes banning discrimination against homosexuals in employment, giving same-sex couples the same rights as married people, including access to adoption and in-vitro fertilisation, and giving same-sex couples the same property and superannuation rights as married couples.

Homosexuality was legalised in WA only in 1989, but WA remained the only State in Australia where the age of consent for gay men was 21.

Also in WA - 16 year olds may get to vote ...

The Labor government in WA is also considering a proposal which would see 16 and 17 year olds given optional voting rights in WA. The proposal formed part of the WA Greens election platform. Attorney-General McGinty has indicated that he will set up an inquiry into the proposal, in a bid to win Greens support to reform the WA electoral system which heavily favours rural and regional voters.

YouthLaw-Young People's Legal Rights Centre Vic

Victoria's first specialist community legal centre for young people was officially launched in October by the Victorian Attorney-General, Rob Hulls.

The newly established YouthLaw – Young Peoples Legal Rights Centre promises to not only fill a significant gap in service delivery to young people in Victoria, but is a unique project that brings together the expertise and resources of both the private profession and community legal centres.

The service is a result of cooperation between the Federation of Community Legal Services (Vic.), private law firm Blake Dawson Waldron and North Melbourne Legal Service. YouthLaw is based at Frontyard Youth Service in the Melbourne CBD.

YouthLaw will not only provide legal advice and casework services to clients of Frontyard, but will implement the model for a young people's legal service developed by the Federation over the past six months. Under this model, YouthLaw will resource the existing network of private and community-based legal services working with young people in their local communities.

The model will also create opportunities for the consolidation and expansion of current services provided by community legal centres, such as the various legal education projects and Youth-Law lines. Through the involvement of the National Children's and Youth Law Centre on the management committee, the Centre will also provide support in Victoria to the NCYLC's award winning website Lawstuff.

The Centre will provide a casework service and other legal services to young people. The Centre will also co-ordinate and resource a statewide network of existing private and community-based legal services working with young people.

For more information about YouthLaw please contact the Centre's Director, Sarah Nicholson, at 313 Flinders Lane, Melbourne 3000, email: justlaw@vicnet.net.au; tel 03 9611 2412.

'Speak Out -Speak Easy'

Helping young people understand about mental illness

'When I was first unwell, I thought some­ one was controlling my body. I thought my parents had a remote control and I was very scared ... I still think there are cameras watching me everywhere I go, even in my own house or at the supermarket.'
'The voices didn't stop until this year. Hearing some of the others in the group, I began to realise what the voices were and I understand they 're all in my head. The groups helped me understand heaps.'

South Sydney Youth Services has recently launched a new publication, Speak Out Speak Easy, to assist young people understand mental illness. These are just two of the many statements contributed by young people with first hand experience of mental health problems about how they affect their daily lives.

The book is the result of a joint initiative between Central Sydney Adolescent Mental Health Service and the South Sydney Youth Service. Three groups of young people met over a year in workshops run by skilled staff of the two services to share their experiences and put together the publication to assist other young people. It includes tips on early identification of problems, where to go to for help, and how to manage mental illness.

Many of the group have both a mental illness and suffer from substance abuse. In some cases, the mental illness was induced by drug use. The project team found that young people with a 'dual disorder' often fall through the cracks because they don't fit either mental health or alcohol and other drug services. This was a major reason for the production of the publication.

The Speak Out-Speak Easy group has sought to give hope to any young person who may be overwhelmed by the onset of mental illness. The group members have expressed that their own outlook on life has improved through working together, and that with medication and support they are now moving forward towards normal, healthy lives.

To obtain a copy of Speak Out - Speak Easy, contact the South Sydney Youth Services on tel 02 9318 0539.

LOUIS SCHETZER

Louis Schetzer is Director, National Children’s and Youth Law Centre.

ALTERNATIVE LAW JOURNAL


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