Ms ELLIS (9:52 AM) —I want to talk about the level of disappointment I have at the government's decision to defund the Australian Youth Policy and Action Coalition, commonly referred to as AYPAC. In what can only be described as a very brief letter, giving what appears to be 12 formal days of notice, the Minister for Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs (Dr Kemp) removed his government's support for AYPAC. The membership of AYPAC is not exactly what anyone could call a group of radical left-wing youth groups. In fact it represents a very broad spectrum of young people in this country.

The membership includes groups like Guides Australia, Australian Rural Youth, the YWCA, the YMCA, Scouts Australia, The Boys Brigade, the Australian Young Christian Workers, the Australian Association of Police Citizens Youth Clubs, St Vincent de Paul, Uniting Education, the National Union of Students, the Australian Association of Adolescent Health, Kids Helpline, National Children's and Youth Law Centre, Fusion Australia, the Federation of Ethnic Communities Council of Australia—FECCA—and the youth affairs councils and networks in each state and territory. That is not a complete list but an indicative list of the sorts of groups that were able to get assistance and encouragement through organisations like AYPAC. The round table alternative which has been put up by the minister, with the greatest respect, I say to those who may participate in the future, is a very poor alternative.

What has been the role of AYPAC? Let us have a look. AYPAC is Australia's peak non-government youth affairs organisation. It has existed since 1991 and during that time it has received operational funding from the Commonwealth Youth Bureau in the Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs. AYPAC is a diverse coalition of youth organisations and networks. Members feel that AYPAC effectively represents their interests and concerns and AYPAC is highly membership driven. AYPAC promotes coordination in the non-government youth sector and amongst national youth organisations; it provides a valuable resourcing role to all youth sector organisations and disseminates information in relation to existing and planned government programs affecting young people.

AYPAC is a vehicle for providing comprehensive and constructive policy advice to the federal government. That is the key clause here—`comprehensive and constructive policy advice to the federal government'. I am sorry to say that I fear that some of the comments that AYPAC has made with the best of intentions as representing that body of membership is why it has got itself where it is today in relation to funding from this government. It is called shooting the messenger. This is a very bad policy decision made by this government.

AYPAC and its member organisations have extensive experience in promoting youth participation opportunities and offers leadership training opportunities for a whole range of young people right across this nation. I condemn this decision by the government and I call for the immediate reversal of the decision to defund the Australian Youth Policy and Action Coalition.