Society concern "shifts from old to young’

Press, 1 October 1983, Page 14

Society concern "shifts from old to young’

Parliamentary reporter The weight of concern in New Zealand society was shifting away from the elderly to young people, the Under-Secretary for Internal Affairs, Mr Thompson, said in a speech prepared for delivery in Christchurch. The elderly were “by and large” well provided for, Mr Thompson said. Mr Thompson was to have launched the lead-up to the International Year of Youth (1.Y.Y.) in 1985, but his flight was grounded by high winds at Wellington

airport. Mr Thompson said that the International Year of Youth would sharpen New Zealand’s focus on young people. The Government would set up a small group to work between voluntary agencies and the Government. It would give the Government policy ideas from the community, and have the legal expertise to make them workable.

The Government would pay for an extra staff member on the National Youth

Council to stir up contributions from young people and get voluntary groups working together. It did not plan to introduce a high powered quango, but to concentrate on existing youth organisations in making a response to the International Year, Mr Thompson said. The Mayor and Mayoress of Christchurch had taken a leading role in getting I.Y.Y. off the ground in Canterbury, and Christchurch groups had been particularly involved, he said.