INSPIRING GLOBAL CITIZENS

UN+
DECLARED
AOTEAROA YOUTH DECLARATION WHAKAPUTANGA RANGATAHI
A policy document from the youth-voice of New Zealand.
23
RD
- 26
TH
April 2014
University of Auckland
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AOTEAROA YOUTH DECLARATION 2014 WHAKAPUTANGA RANGATAHI
Dear Reader,
The document you hold in your hands is a reection of the hard work, debate, scrutiny
and research of 200 young New Zealanders from across the nation.
One of the most inspiring conferences in New Zealand, Youth Declaration creates a
platform for young leaders to express views on issues of public policy in New Zealand.
Taking place from Wednesday 23rd Saturday 26th April at the University of Auckland,
the four days consisted of a community outreach programme, workshops, group dis-
cussions, plenary sessions and social events.
Youth Declaration is a conference that equips students with the knowledge and tools to
be active citizens, that inspires students to stand up and speak out and to challenge our
leaders for a better future. The Declaration highlights the potential of youth today and
the necessity for their voice to be heard in all facets of society.
The power and action behind these suggestions and ideas now rest with you. We hope
you will utilise this document, spread it through your communication channels and give
the youth voice the weight it truly deserves.
Yours sincerely,
Tesree Appanna
Youth Declaration Coordinator
How wonderful is it that nobody
need wait a single moment before
starting to improve the world
Anne Frank
Kapa haka
Mori performing arts
Waiata
Song
Mihimihi
Greeting
Whaikrero
Speech
Hauora
Health and well-being
Hauora Hinengaro
Mental health and wellbeing
Ktahitanga
Unity, Sovereignty
Manaaki
Protection and care
Mramatanga
Understanding, analysing, concept

Rangatahi
Youth
Rangatiratanga
Absolute sovereignty, independence
Tikanga
Beliefs, values
Whakamana
Uphold, respect, acknowledge

Whanaungatanga
Together, family-unity, whanau,
TE REO GLOSSARY
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AOTEAROA YOUTH DECLARATION 2014 WHAKAPUTANGA RANGATAHI
Constitutional Issues
1. We are aware that there is discussion surrounding a proposed written constitution for
Aotearoa New Zealand and feel very strongly about the issue. This would be an inelastic,
all-encompassing document, which will be difcult to change in the future and would be very
restrictive and rigid concerning administration of government functions. We urge the Govern-
ment to maintain the status quo.
2. We believe that retaining the monarchy is important as it is integral to our history and we do
not wish to sever these connections with the United Kingdom. Becoming a republic would
create complications such as the weakening of the Treaty of Waitangi and creating difculties
within our existing legal system.
Bill of Rights
3. We believe that we lack the necessary safeguards to protect the rights and freedoms of citi-
zens because the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 (NZBORA) does not have the status of
superior legislation. This means that future governments are free to legislate in contradiction
to those rights and freedoms. We urge Parliament to accord NZBORA the status of supreme
legislation with the exclusion of section 6.
4. We believe that the current NZBORA could be inefective in safeguarding rights, due to the
potential for changes to the Act which could erode the rights and freedoms of citizens, espe-
cially youth. Therefore, we recommend the entrenchment of NZBORA.
Voting
5. We believe that citizen-initiated referendums lack power to force the hand of Parliament. We
recommend Parliament makes all referendums binding on the Government if 75% of referen-
dum voters are in favour of the proposition. We suggest such referenda should be required to
be consistent with the NZBORA, regardless of the Acts entrenchment status.
6. We believe that there is a need for increased civic education and appreciation of our identity
and heritage at all ages with a focus on youth (especially in Years 9 and 10) to combat apathy
and misunderstanding. This would encourage youth to be active voters. We believe that this
could be achieved through:
a. Civic education for Year 9 and 10 students;
b. Advertising/raising awareness to change perception of voting for the entire population;
and
c. Tackling apathy through introducing compulsory voting in the long-term.
Public Issues
7. We support Parliaments decision to move statutory holidays to the following Monday when
they occur during the weekend.
8. We recognise that the issue of changing our ag is controversial because it represents our
national identity and the portrayal of Aotearoa New Zealand overseas. Therefore, we encour-
age a government-initiated referendum after the 2014 General Election regardless of result.
However, we encourage parties in contention to focus on more important issues during cam-
paigning.
ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
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AOTEAROA YOUTH DECLARATION 2014 WHAKAPUTANGA RANGATAHI
1. We believe that Aotearoa New Zealands current spending on innovation and entrepreneur-
ship is insufcient. This will decrease our global competitiveness in the long-term, negatively
impacting our export capabilities and threatening our trade balance. We believe that the Gov-
ernment should implement more programmes such as tax incentives for innovative activity
and interest-free loans for new businesses in order to foster entrepreneurship.
2. We believe that personal income tax brackets do not accurately reect real purchasing power
due to inationary efects (scal drag). This reduces disposable income and standard of living
for individual people in Aotearoa New Zealand. We propose that an independent tax board
be set up to revisit and set income tax brackets every three years.
3. We do not believe that the current minimum wage accurately reects a wage that allows peo-
ple to support themselves and their families. This creates difculties for the poorest segments
of our society, as their income does not increase at the same rate as the cost of living. We
propose linking the minimum wage so that it increases with CPI ination, and for the Govern-
ment to continue monitoring how the minimum wage afects the most vulnerable.
4. We support the Governments current free trade agenda. It allows us to receive goods at
a lower price, improves our connections globally, and improves our standard of living. We
believe that the Government should continue its current program of focusing on Asia, with an
increasing focus on emerging economies in the long-term.
5. We believe that the New Zealand dollar is currently too high and overvalued. This creates
difculties for our export industries, reducing their prots with ow-on efects for the rest of
society. We encourage government measures to devalue the dollar to a more sustainable level
so that our global competitiveness is not negatively impacted.
6. We believe that at present, employer and employee rights are relatively balanced. However,
we are concerned by the current trend of greater employer rights at the expense of employee
rights. We believe that the Government needs to ensure that there are sufcient mechanisms
to protect employees and prevent their exploitation and marginalisation, while still allowing
employers to do business.
7. We believe that there is underrepresentation of minority groups and marginalised gender
groups on executive boards of Aotearoa New Zealand companies. This makes it difcult for
women, Mori and Pasika, and youth to contribute to decisions that afect their everyday
lives. We support initiatives such as the 25 Percent Group which provides role models, and
believe that the Government should provide more resources for groups that seek to correct
institutional biases.
8. We believe that while the primary motive for companies is to deliver a prot, they have
secondary obligations to society. Companies that do not honour these obligations can harm
society in pursuit of prots. Additionally, consumers are not well educated on the social
impacts of products and services. We propose that an independent body create a Corporate
Social Responsibility rating that measures how responsible businesses are, and requires that
these ratings be displayed on packaging and advertising so that consumers can make more
informed decisions about the products and services that they purchase.
9. We believe that income inequality is an increasing problem in Aotearoa New Zealand. It fur-
ther disadvantages those at the lower end of the socioeconomic scale, making it harder for
them to fully contribute to society. We support partnerships between private businesses and
educational institutions to provide work experience and training for low decile and other mar-
ginalised groups. We support subsidies or tax incentives for businesses that engage in these
partnerships, particularly those who engage in rural communities.
10. We believe that the gap between the lowest and highest ends of the socioeconomic scale in
our society is widening. Additionally, everyday citizens are increasingly priced out of owning
houses due to high levels of commercial activity in the residential housing market. We sup-
port a Property Gains Tax that excludes the family home, is ination-adjusted, is targeted at
socioeconomically-privileged members of our society, and applies to foreign investors as well.
11. We believe that youth unemployment is a problem that requires signicant attention. It is dif-
cult for young people without experience to nd employers who are willing to hire them. We
believe that a youth wage (starting-out wage) is advantageous for businesses and provides
more opportunities for young people, but inherently devalues young people and rewards
them less for doing the same work as someone else. We propose a system where businesses
are able to pay the youth wage to their employees, and the Government tops up the difer-
ence between the youth wage and the normal minimum wage.
BUSINESS AND COMMERCE
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AOTEAROA YOUTH DECLARATION 2014 WHAKAPUTANGA RANGATAHI
Engagement in Education
1. We recognise that low motivation and enthusiasm for education is an issue for learning, par-
ticularly for secondary students. This causes discouragement, resulting in students not reach-
ing their full potential, with some leaving the education system without basic qualications.
To solve this issue, we recommend the creation of a supportive environment for students by:
a. Encouraging the formation of a wider variety of extracurricular activities to allow for
greater student participation;
b. Endorsing the increased implementation of student-to-student mentoring;
c. Supporting the use of house systems to form smaller groups where students feel in-
cluded; and
d. Further recognising individual progress of students.
MPI Achievement
2. We understand that Mori and Pacic Islands (MPI) students are making academic progress.
However, we take issue with MPI students continuing lower pass rates in National Certicate
of Educational Achievement (NCEA) when compared to other ethnic groups. This leads to
fewer opportunities for MPI students to access higher education, resulting in inequality in job
opportunities. This also widens the divide between MPI and other ethnic groups in Aotearoa
New Zealand. We encourage the implementation of:
a. MPI role models and mentors, such as MPI university students who directly interact
with and mentor MPI secondary school students to encourage personal development
and academic growth; and
b. Further incorporation of practical, hands-on elements within the Aotearoa New Zea-
land curriculum to engage MPI students.
Decile System
3. Although the decile system is negatively perceived, we think it is necessary to optimise the
allocation of funding. We endorse the continuation and regular monitoring of the system to
ensure its accuracy and relevance.
Technology in Schools
4. We acknowledge inequality of access to technology within schools. Students of diferent
state schools will have diferent technology literacy levels, which may harm their further edu-
cation. We propose standardisation of the use of technology within schools to provide equal
education opportunities. Possible implementation of this may include school-issued laptops.
Teachers and Technology
5. We believe that some teachers do not have the minimum ability required to efectively utilise
technology in the classroom. This can lead to a disrupted learning environment, which disad-
vantages students. We urge the Government to implement compulsory technology literacy
courses within teaching college, in addition to compulsory technology courses for teachers
throughout their teaching careers.
National Standards
6. The recently-implemented National Standards commonly have their results misapplied and
misinterpreted, which exacerbates the issue of prioritising good results over a well-rounded
education. National Standards are perceived to result in a narrowing of the curriculum, as the
focus shifts from the achievement of a strong educational foundation to emphasis placed on
standards-based teaching. We recommend a change in the Governments focus, so National
Standards are used as a teaching tool as well as a constructive judgement tool.
Middle School Education
7. Years 7 through 10 are commonly seen as the lost years in schooling due to an insufcient-
ly-regulated curriculum and a lack of continuity between the primary school system and early
secondary school examinations. This results in students losing engagement with their edu-
cation and not being prepared for the examination system, while also falling behind interna-
tionally, as seen in Programme for International Student Assessment testing. We recommend
investigating the following strategies:
a. Forming more structured guidelines within the curriculum for these years;
b. Improving the assessment systems used over this time in preparation for senior exams;
and
c. Investigating foreign education systems for proven innovative solutions.
Science Literacy
8. Middle school education needs a greater focus on science, in order to enhance the science lit-
eracy of our population. Students entering secondary schools do not have a solid foundation
in science which discourages further progress in science and related elds of education, as
well as leading to a poor understanding and misinterpretation of scientic concepts import-
ant later in daily life. We suggest the following:
a. A more robust science curriculum be implemented within intermediate schools that
provide a suitable introduction to further higher level science; and
b. A stronger focus on the practical components of science education with real-life appli-
cations.
EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
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AOTEAROA YOUTH DECLARATION 2014 WHAKAPUTANGA RANGATAHI
EDUCATION AND SCIENCE CONTINUED
Access to Courses
9. The existence of correspondence and e-learning schools is a vital step in the progression of
education, however there is a lack of access to and awareness of these courses. The short-
term efect of this is disengagement of student learning, leading to poorer results, while the
long-term efect is a lack of knowledge diversity in students resulting in a decrease in our
countrys innovative ability. We recommend the following:
a. Strengthening correspondence and e-learning schools through funding;
b. Increasing publicity of these options; and
c. Ensuring all school students have access to these options.
Assessment Tools
10. NCEA exams are not versatile for diferent learning styles. Some students results do not
reect their true potential and depth of knowledge due to the limiting nature of the NCEA
examination format. We encourage the following strategies:
a. Investigating the introduction of Cambridge, International Baccalaureate (IB) and other
examination programmes at more schools across a wider geographic spread,
b. Allowing students access to IB, Cambridge and other educational systems, within rea-
son, through technology; and
c. Broadening the NCEA examination format to allow for diferent formats of answers,
alongside a more holistic marking schedule.
Teacher Further Learning
11. In a changing world, a teachers knowledge and teaching methods need to constantly adapt.
The courses ofered to teachers do not always satisfy these demands, and teachers need
to be more highly respected in society. We support the Government teacher training pro-
grammes currently in place, but we recommend the following strategies:
a. Development of a more comprehensive teacher training programme in order to update
teacher knowledge;
b. Encouragement of collaborative exchange of teaching methodology within schools and
districts;
c. The implementation of more student moderation of teacher performance, through cre-
ative and written means;
d. Increasing the nancial accessibility of postgraduate study to teachers; and
e. Improving the pay scale for those with postgraduate study in order to appropriately
reward those well-qualied.
Brain Drain
12. Highly-skilled graduates and professionals are leaving Aotearoa New Zealand for better em-
ployment opportunities and wages overseas. This leads to a loss of skilled workers making it
difcult for economic sectors to grow. To solve this problem, we suggest:
a. Increasing the availability of conditional scholarships (e.g. tertiary education in ex-
change for working in Aotearoa New Zealand for a minimum number of years); and
b. Increasing relationships with multinational corporations to encourage the transfer of
highly-skilled workers from overseas to Aotearoa New Zealand and vice-versa.
Research and Development
13. Scientic research and development (R&D) is seen as perpetually underfunded, which limits
our capacity for scientic progress and our international standing. Furthermore it discourag-
es young people from entering science, and prevents the boosting of our economy through
commercialised scientic breakthroughs. We recommend the following:
a. Continuing to focus funding on key scientic projects of benet to Aotearoa New Zea-
land, especially those with strong commercial applications, and annually increasing the
monetary commitment to scientic R&D; and
b. Encouraging commercial sponsorship, partnerships and collaborations to enable an
ideas-based economy.
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AOTEAROA YOUTH DECLARATION 2014 WHAKAPUTANGA RANGATAHI
ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE
1. We acknowledge the impact of anthropogenic climate change on Aotearoa New Zealand and
the world. We recognise the 5th Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report
and the issues, causes and concerns for present and future generations. We recommend:
a. Further climate change monitoring;
b. Increasing awareness through education;
c. That the government introduce legislation further regulating practices which contribute
to environmental damage; and
d. That the Government recognises the adverse efects of climate change on Aotearoa
New Zealand.
2. We realise the importance of research for developing greater understanding of the environ-
mental problems that face Aotearoa New Zealand, as well as the procedures to solve them.
This research will enable us to create informed decisions that may aid in averting climate
change. We recommend that the Government promotes and expands ongoing environmental
research and continues funding these programmes.
3. We recognise the important role that education plays in helping New Zealanders understand
environmental issues. The Government should make greater efort to educate the public as to
the importance of our environment:
a. This can be done through specic education measures in industry and business and
educational institutions; and
b. This education needs to be done through both practical and informative processes.
4. We believe the greatest problem with our current transport system is carbon emissions. As a
result, we endorse the use of eco-friendly public and private transport systems such as hydro-
gen busses and electric trains.
5. We believe that to future-proof our buildings, they must be eco-friendly. We endorse the
possibility of the Government subsiding specic eco-friendly infrastructure according to geo-
ecological need, such as but not limited to water tanks, insulation, retro-tted double glazed
windows, efcient heating systems and solar panels.
6. We endorse the use of alternative energy sources. We recognise New Zealands primary ener-
gy source is sustainable hydro-power, but acknowledge that hydro-power can disrupt marine
ecosystems and lead to a loss of biodiversity. We support the implementation of cleaner
forms of sustainable energy such as wind and solar energy.
7. We condemn deep-sea oil drilling due to the high risks associated with the industry and the
lack of success, with no signicant oil deposits found so far. These risks include impacts on
marine biodiversity, the physical environment and Aotearoa New Zealands clean green
image due to a high possibility of failure. We suggest:
a. Increased restrictions regarding oil drilling and extraction quantities;
b. The establishment of an autonomous Aotearoa New Zealand-based third-party adviso-
ry panel to audit processes on rigs, with the involvement of local communities; and
c. Imposing heavy penalties on companies which breach rules surrounding oil drilling.
8. We believe that water is essential for our future, but are facing problems with the overuse of
water in industries such as agriculture and tourism. This leads to the loss of biodiversity and
our freshwater supplies impacting all walks of life. We recommend the implementation of:
a. Fencing, ltering, riparian plantings, sediment and macrophyle removal in relevance to
the site of reach; and
b. A water-credit scheme for businesses based on the carbon emissions trading scheme.
9. Aotearoa New Zealands main primary industries are critical to our economic health. The
responsible management of these sectors and natural resources is key for a sustainable envi-
ronment and economy. We propose:
a. The adoption of sustainable practises by sheries such as a rotational shing system;
and
b. Building on collaborations between farmers, local government and scientists to create
sustainable farming practises.
10. We support current eforts made by organisations such as Auckland Zoo and Kelly Tarltons
to conserve Aotearoa New Zealands natural environment. These measures rehabilitate and
maintain environments with rich biodiversity such as Tiritiri Matangi and the Auckland Islands.
We recommend that funding is increased for such organisations including the Department of
Conservation to ensure the continued success of conservation eforts.
11. Non-recyclable plastic has a huge negative efect on the environment as it kills marine wildlife
and does not biodegrade in landlls. We recommend the Government encourage businesses
to move away from plastic products that are unnecessary, non-biodegradable and non-recy-
clable. We suggest that one way to do this could be to subsidise alternative, biodegradable
products.
12. We suggest that the Government investigates our waste management system, as the current
system is not sustainable. Systems such as rubbish incineration should be encouraged.
13. We strongly encourage members of Parliament to participate in environmental education, as
we believe that not all members of Parliament fully comprehend the potential impact of cli-
mate change. We believe that economic benet and environmental change must be aforded
equal importance.
14. We believe that in order to tackle environmental challenges, we must change societys per-
ception of the importance of our environment. This could be done through environmental
awareness campaigns and advertisements. We afrm Mori tikanga surrounding the environ-
ment and wish to further promote these throughout society.
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AOTEAROA YOUTH DECLARATION 2014 WHAKAPUTANGA RANGATAHI
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
1. We believe that the current structure of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) diminish-
es its ability to full its mandate. This is exemplied by unresolved conict in Syria, the Demo-
cratic Republic of the Congo and historical examples such as massacres in the Yugoslav wars.
National agendas have prevented the UNSC from addressing humanitarian crises. If we obtain
a seat on the UNSC, we:
a. Endorse the Governments current stance on limiting the power of the P5 (ve perma-
nent members of the UNSC) with an emphasis on changing veto power; and
b. Should encourage proactive rather than reactive conict prevention methods during
our presidential months to introduce unaddressed problems to the UNSC agenda (e.g.
Palestine).
Relations with the European Union
2. We feel that our ties to the European Union are not as strong as they need to be across a
variety of areas. This has a broad impact on society: it could impact environmental policy,
diminish tourism, and limit our science sectors, as well as having negative impacts on educa-
tion such as making it more difcult for New Zealanders to attend European universities. We
recommend that the Government pursue a number of steps:
a. Educational exchange programmes, working to increase cultural ties and facilitating
youth engagement with the European Union; and
b. We also believe that current free trade negotiations (at the time of writing) are of ben-
et, but should supplement the measures listed above.
Relations with Australia
3. We are concerned by the relative difculty in accessing tertiary education for New Zealanders
in Australia compared to tertiary education for Australians living here. The higher entrance
requirements and severe difculties in obtaining a student loan cause imbalance in our bi-
lateral relationship, which could cause tension with one of our most important international
partners. We recommend:
a. The Government engages in dialogue with the Australian Government, with the goal of
making sure the same rights are aforded to students entering tertiary education in and
from both states;
b. Considering ofering New Zealand citizens a student loan from the New Zealand Gov-
ernment to attend Australian universities, provided the students are contracted to re-
turn and work in Aotearoa New Zealand for a period of years decided by Government;
c. Entering into discussion with the Australian Government to resolve the ongoing issue
of a lack of welfare support for New Zealand citizens in certain Australian states.
International Crises
4. Often people within nations desire self-determination and this results in conict when there
are multiple ethnic groups present. There is concern that cases such as that of Crimea could
infringe on the rights of the people where political agendas of nations interfere with demo-
cratic processes. In the international arena, we want the Government to:
a. Respect peoples right to self-determination above and beyond traditional borders;
b. Support the transparency of elections and referendums, through encouraging UN over-
sight; and
c. Ofer humanitarian support through impartial mediation and aid rather than military
intervention.
Nuclear-Free Zone
5. We believe Aotearoa New Zealands nuclear-free zone is of major importance to our country.
We feel it underscores a large part of our international reputation as a state that cares about
nuclear and disarmament issues, and that its continued existence also highlights our focus on
sustainability and serves to encourage other countries to do the same. We feel that the cur-
rent policy of keeping it is the right one: although its removal may improve relations with the
US, other efects would be negative and no strong policy reasons necessitate such an action.
We recommend that the Government:
a. Maintains our nuclear-free zone and demilitarised status; and
b. Considers, if necessary in the future, re-evaluation of its nuclear-free policies, taking
into consideration the policies and nuclear programmes of other nations, excluding
weapons programmes.
The Trans-Pacic Partnership Agreement (TPPA)
6. We want to protect our rights to preserve our environmental sanctity or natural environment,
civil safety standards and public welfare. There is a concern that we might lose the power to
set our own regulations to private, ofshore investor-state tribunals. We want the Government
to advocate for individual countries rights to set their own regulations and utilise their own
dispute resolution systems.
7. We believe that the TPPA negotiations lack transparency because the text cannot be released
to the general public. The TPPA may be ratied despite not reecting the views of wider
Aotearoa New Zealand society.
a. We believe our members of Parliament (MPs) should be given access to the negotiation
process to allow them to shape the document; and
b. We encourage the creation of a public forum, both online and ofine, for the publics
views to be taken into consideration by MPs.
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AOTEAROA YOUTH DECLARATION 2014 WHAKAPUTANGA RANGATAHI
FOREIGN AFFAIRS CONTINUED
8. We believe that it is not in our interests for the TPPA to include provisions to force our laws to
comply with unsuitable and inequitable copyright systems in foreign nations. We believe that
this could have a detrimental efect on the ability of TPPA signatories to set basic necessities,
such as medicine, at a fair price. However, we recognise that copyright standardisation and
the protection of intellectual property is very important. To nd this balance we recommend
that the Government advocate for the treaty to stipulate that domestic copyright laws should
be respected for distribution of products holding patents internally and overseas. This means
that we can continue to benet from fairly-priced products while protecting the rights of
companies to benet from their investments.
Aid
9. We are aware that Aotearoa New Zealands aid to the Pacic has a primary focus on scal and
material aid. As a result, issues of economic growth and trade expansion are not sufciently
addressed. We encourage the Government to direct more of our aid budget for the Pacic
into advisory and education-based programmes to develop self-sufciency.
10. We believe that systemic disadvantages, such as a lack of capital and geographic isolation,
limit Pacic businesses ability to grow. This can result in Pacic nations economies not being
able to sustain their populations. Thus, we urge the Government to encourage our businesses
to increase their engagement and partnerships with Pacic businesses.
11. We recognise that climate change and its efects are incredibly pressing issues for the Pacif-
ic. If we do not address these issues at all levels the Pacic will never realise its potential for
progress. We wish to:
a. Afrm and encourage the role Aotearoa New Zealand plays in disaster relief, yet call
for a larger focus on preventative measures to mitigate the damage of disasters (e.g.
through spending money on embankments rather than ood relief); and
b. Urge the Government to provide long-term support to communities sufering associat-
ed consequences of climate change, such as water scarcity and food insecurity, while
investing greater funds into the development and research of solutions to alleviate
these harms (e.g. investment in the development of salt-resistant crops).
Refugees
12. We believe that there are insufcient refugee centres in Aotearoa New Zealand that are able
to provide training and integration for refugees. As a result, our refugee quota and the pro-
vision of necessities for refugees for integration into Aotearoa New Zealand society are both
limited. We recommend that the Government:
a. Increases the funding for and the number of refugee centres with emphasis on training
programmes;
b. Gradually increases the annual refugee quota within our capacity to do so; and
c. Consider increasing refugee acceptance numbers according to international refugee
crises.
13. We recommend the Government begin discussing the inclusion of environmental change as a
recognised ground on which people can seek refugee status. The Pacic region is increasingly
vulnerable to calamities due to climate change. Thus, there are many that are sufering from
these crises who are unable to seek appropriate help due to the limited scope of recognised
grounds used to determine refugee status.
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AOTEAROA YOUTH DECLARATION 2014 WHAKAPUTANGA RANGATAHI
HAUORA
1. We believe that awareness and understanding of mental illness is inadequate in society. This
leads to high rates of poorly-treated mental illness, such as depression and eating disorders.
This is a contributing factor to Aotearoa New Zealands high suicide rates, particularly in
youth. We recommend that the Government better incorporate education on mental illness
into the school curriculum from Year 7 onwards, and also into teacher training. We believe this
will help improve awareness and understanding, and thus diagnosis and treatment, of mental
illness.
2. There is a severe lack of awareness as to where afordable help regarding mental health
issues is available in this country, which hampers diagnosis and treatment. There needs to be
signicantly more government-supported advocacy of these services (e.g. in schools, at GPs
and via social media) so that people know help is available, and where and how to get it.
3. We feel that patients lack ownership of their own wellbeing, resulting in their taking medi-
cal care for granted and not taking sufcient responsibility for their health. We endorse the
introduction of compulsory, nationwide, state-funded patient portal schemes (allowing online
access to personal electronic health records). This will improve the quality of medical care,
make healthcare more patient-centric and empower patients to take responsibility for their
own health and treatment.
4. We believe that awareness of and access to Mori traditional medicine is lacking in Aoteatoa
New Zealand. This contributes to poorer health outcomes for Mori. Mori people (especial-
ly older generations) may also be less receptive towards Western medicine and services.
We recommend that community awareness be increased by utilising existing media such
as newspapers, iwi radio and Mori TV. Community leaders, schools and marae should be
equipped with knowledge of such practices to refer patients to appropriate providers. Knowl-
edge of traditional Mori medicine should be incorporated into general practitioner training
for better overall understanding of traditional and alternative medicine available in Aotearoa
New Zealand.
5. With the decrease of funding for primary healthcare once youth turn 18, many young people
are unable to aford healthcare. This results in late diagnoses due to infrequent check-ups
and a loss of control over their own health. In addition to existing nancial aid, we suggest the
Government gradually lower subsidies until the age of 25 instead of completely cutting of
funding of primary healthcare at 18.
6. The sexual education received by young New Zealanders is inconsistent and inadequate.
This contributes to high teenage pregnancy rates, the spread of sexually-transmitted infec-
tions, and under-reporting of sexual assault due to misconceptions regarding consent. We
recommend that national sex education standards be introduced in all schools regardless of
religious afliation or ownership. These standards should emphasise and fully explain consent
and safe sex, while presenting viewpoints on sex (including abstinence and non-heterosexual
relationships) with an unbiased attitude. We endorse the inclusion of co-curricular third-party
sexual education throughout secondary school by organisations such as Attitudes and Family
Planning.
7. We believe there are difculties assessing the nutritional value of food. This results in difcul-
ties implementing policies which target specic foods, as well as misconceptions regarding
the healthiness of food which can lead to poor dietary choices. We recommend that a body
of experts determine the standards of healthy food and that their ndings inform a food
labelling system (e.g. the trafc light system in the UK, or the star rating system in Australia)
for easier consumer information regarding food nutrition.
8. We believe that there is a large price disparity between foods of diferent nutritional value,
causing a tendency towards unbalanced diets and malnutrition (especially in the form of
obesity). We recommend the reduction or removal of Goods and Services Tax on fresh fruit
and vegetables. In return, we propose the taxation of carbonated drinks. This would decrease
general demand for unhealthy food, and promote healthy food consumption for lower socio-
economic groups.
9. We believe that a lot of food available to students at school (e.g. pies, sausage rolls, and hot
chips) is unhealthy. As a result, students do not receive adequate nutrition or proper suste-
nance that would aid learning. We recommend introducing a wider variety of cheap, healthy
options at school tuck shops as well as limiting the supply of foods dened as unhealthy
and ensuring that the lowest priced items are healthy.
10. We are concerned about the prevalence and availability of synthetic cannabis, or legal
highs. Not enough is known about the potential dangers of legal highs, and that makes many
people feel unsafe given their accessibility and legality. We implore the Government to in-
crease their eforts to address this issue by placing restrictions on whom by and where these
can be sold, and their consumption.
11. There is a lack of recognition that we live in a world that is not gender and sex binary. Con-
sequently, individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer)
face great social discrimination, persecution and bullying, causing them to feel insecure and
alienated. We recommend the Government provide facilities such as gender-neutral school
bathrooms and sports programmes, to show that society accepts and acknowledges LGBTQ+
youth. We also suggest additional education in community and schools relating to LGBTQ+
issues (e.g. the use of proper pronouns, orientation).
12. We believe that there is a distinct lack of physical activity in our lifestyles, particularly those
living in lower socioeconomic areas. This results in a higher risk of health problems such as
obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. We recommend that additional funding be
allocated to low decile schools for better sports facilities, and that a wider range of physical
activity be incorporated in the school curriculum.
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AOTEAROA YOUTH DECLARATION 2014 WHAKAPUTANGA RANGATAHI
INFRASTRUCTURE
1. We believe that there is insufcient public transport in urban areas. Coverage is limited and
the frequency of trains and buses does not meet current demand. As a result of the insuf-
ciency of the current public transport system its use is disincentivised, compounding conges-
tion problems. We endorse the Integrated Transport Plan and encourage the Government to
spend a fairer proportion of the National Land Transport Fund on public transport.
2. Rural roads are neglected in government and council infrastructure upgrade plans. As
Aotearoa New Zealand relies heavily on agricultural and perishable goods trade, rural road
conditions must be improved and maintained to ensure efcient ow between economic and
trade hubs. We urge the Government to invest in the maintenance and development of rural
roads.
3. Although we recognise the Governments current eforts regarding civil defence planning,
there is a lack of information distribution before, during and after a disaster. This increases the
risk of confusion and misinformation in the event of a disaster. We recommend the implemen-
tation of a national mobile alert system.
4. We acknowledge the Governments eforts in encouraging research and development by
increasing our renewable energy generation mix from 70% to 90% by 2025. We support
research and investment, especially in tidal energy and ofshore wind farms. Diversifying our
mix of renewable energy sources will future-proof against changing environmental condi-
tions.
5. 86% of our population lives in urban areas and this number is increasing. This increase in
urbanisation will be concentrated in major cities such as Auckland and Wellington. Therefore
major cities will need to reconsider their expansion plan in the following manners:
a. Intensication should be prioritised as it is less costly and more efcient in the long-
term; and
b. Sprawl is acceptable in places where intensication is not feasible, for example in
Christchurch.
c. City councils should be urged to create more green spaces (i.e. gardens and parks)
in urban areas, to promote better recreational areas, better standards of mental health
and the presence of the environment in day-to-day life.
6. We support the current Christchurch rebuild plan. However, we believe that the progress has
been slow especially surrounding demolition and the progress of rebuilding houses. We sug-
gest and support the:
a. Deregulation and streamlining of government and local council process and policy to
accelerate the demolition of buildings;
b. Creation of new developments away from the eastern side of the city to create new
communities and facilitate business in Christchurch; and
c. Improvement in transparency between local residents and the council including a regu-
larly updated webpage.
7. At the moment, only a single Internet cable exists to connect New Zealand to the world.
Consequently, we are at great risk of economic constriction either by inadequate bandwidth/
networking capacity or the failure of the Internet cable. We encourage the Government to
cooperate with telecommunication companies and private investors to create another cable
connecting from New Zealand to Hong Kong via Kuala Lumpur.
8. We support the use of Public Private Partnerships in the building and maintaining of the
roads of national signicance where applicable, in order to reduce the funding requirement
for these projects by the Government. This means funds initially allocated to these projects
can be reallocated to upgrading run-down rural infrastructure.
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AOTEAROA YOUTH DECLARATION 2014 WHAKAPUTANGA RANGATAHI
LAW AND ORDER
Youth Justice
1. We recognise that youth need to feel meaningfully connected to, and supported by their
communities. A lack of support can result in social exclusion, which increases their likelihood
of criminal ofending. We suggest the Government funds facilities such as youth hubs, sports
teams and other extra-curricular groups to foster youths socialisation.
2. Due to the sanctions placed upon them, young ofenders are excluded from state education,
with those in rural areas particularly afected. We believe that education should be provided
to all youths, even while in detention or performing any other community-based sanction.
3. A vast majority of the youth prison population also consists of young people who have been
excluded from the education system. We recommend that the Government provide alter-
nate education in the form of a boarding school for those who have been excluded from the
system and those who do not respond efectively to mainstream education. These alternate
schools would serve to keep at-risk youth engaged and out of criminal activity.
4. Youths in detention are susceptible to negative inuences due to their carceral environment.
This increases the likelihood of further criminal ofending. We recommend that youth deten-
tion facilities implement a mentoring system with individuals from young ofenders commu-
nities to foster positive relationships.
Decriminalisation of Drugs
5. Aotearoa New Zealand has the highest incidence of cannabis usage in the world, despite its
illegal status. We feel this represents a gap in the law. We recommend that the Government
explore decriminalising the personal use and possession of cannabis.
Criminal Records
6. People with criminal convictions experience difculty in securing meaningful employment
due to their criminal records. Employment is a key factor in reducing recidivism. We recom-
mend that the provisions of the Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Act 2004, which applies to
less serious ofences, be extended. Persons who have not reofended within four years of the
expiry of their sanction should not have to declare past criminal convictions when applying
for jobs.
Justice Reinvestment
7. The Government currently spends around $90,000 and $110,000 per annum for every male
and female prisoner incarcerated respectively. Approximately half of them reofend and re-
turn to prison within two years, representing a 50% success rate for prison as criminal justice
policy. We strongly urge that the Government undertakes further justice reinvestment into
alternatives to incarceration (both new and existing) which incorporate the tikanga of the
ofender and their community.
Judges
8. Our bench under-represents women and ethnic minorities including Mori and Pasika peo-
ple. We believe this perpetuates institutional racism and patriarchy, potentially resulting in
biased outcomes for ofenders from marginalised groups in society. We urge the Government
to appoint a more diverse bench that represents modern Aotearoa New Zealand society.
Prisons
9. We exhort the Government to implement compulsory education for all people incarcerated
in this country. The intention of this is to foster motivation, skills and purpose in the lives of
prisoners; the underlying aim is ensuring that the prison population can play a positive role in
society upon their release. This would consist of:
a. An academic programme provided by qualied teachers to ensure that prisoners have
a standard base education for life after release; and
b. A goal-driven programme of courses personally chosen by each prisoner that focuses
on their individual passions such as sport, art and music.
10. The high recidivism rate of convicted criminals is attributed to the juxtaposition between pris-
on and free society. Therefore we propose the Government implements real-life simulations
within prison to emulate society through a community that teaches nancial responsibility
and life skills, which aid in prisoners reintegration. These simulations would counteract the
normalisation of social harm within the prison. The ow-on efects would benet both those
incarcerated and those they come into contact with upon release.
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AOTEAROA YOUTH DECLARATION 2014 WHAKAPUTANGA RANGATAHI
Reintegration
11. We encourage the Government to substantially increase the number of halfway houses in
Aotearoa New Zealand to ease the transition between prison and community life. Prisons
socialise inmates according to a diferent set of social norms. Halfway houses would provide a
supportive environment through the provision of accommodation and meals, assistance with
job searching, educational courses including addiction education and counselling services.
This programme could be modelled on Canadas successful halfway house programme, which
has a recidivism rate of three to ve percent.
Media and Society
12. Our news media sensationalises crime reporting, playing on emotions that generate stigma
against certain groups in society. We believe that the Government should promote factual
and non-biased reporting of crimes, to prevent news articles which create dangerous and
negative perceptions of criminals. We understand that this policy could be viewed as a re-
striction of the freedom of expression; however the holistic benet to society would far out-
weigh the entertainment value of sensationalism.
13. We encourage the Government to initiate programmes to increase awareness about the roots
of crime (in particular poverty and exclusion from the education system) and criminal men-
tality. The stigmatisation of criminals is a barrier to their reintegration into society. We can
achieve this through campaigns promoting social acceptance, which target the notion that
criminals are inherently bad people and replace this with the context behind criminal ofend-
ing. Society will also be better equipped to assist in reducing the ofending rate in the future.
Equal Pay
14. In Aotearoa New Zealand there is still a signicant disparity in the money paid to men and
women doing the same work. We believe that this devalues the contribution of women in the
workforce and is an afront to our values as a country, which has been long promoted gender
equality. We urge the government to do all in its power to enforce the law stated in the Equal
Pay Act 1972, in order to close the unjust gender pay gap.
Specialist Social Services
1. We are concerned that specialist services receiving Government funding risk losing this
support when they are critical of the Government, as seen recently in the case of the Problem
Gambling Foundation. We believe that these services are representing their relevant commu-
nities, and should have the autonomy to voice their concerns, without facing nancial conse-
quences.
2. We are concerned that tax exemptions for religious organisations have become outdated.
We recognise the good work that religious organisations can do in the community; however,
we believe that the benets of a tax exemption do not always reach society as a whole. We
suggest an application process for religious organisations to receive a tax exemption based
on the net benet of services they provide to the community.
Students
3. We endorse the current system of interest-free student loans, but take issue with the consec-
utive 184-day window of overseas travel allowed before interest accrues on loans. This does
not give people a sufcient period of time to travel and broaden their horizons. We suggest
increasing this travel period to 365 days, with the ability to apply for exemptions in exception-
al circumstances. If an individual exceeds this limit, upon return to New Zealand, we believe
that interest should no longer be charged, which encourages our graduates to return home.
4. We condemn the Governments recent decision to remove postgraduate student allowances
as this discourages higher education and research. We recommend reinstating these student
allowances.
5. There is a lack of efective career-related information provided in low decile and rural schools.
This limits students tertiary opportunities, especially in comparison to students from higher
decile schools. We recommend that the Government subsidise trained career advisors in low
decile and rural schools to support students in furthering their education.
Income Support and Welfare
6. To change current attitudes towards Jobseeker Support, we recommend that upon twelve
months of receiving this benet, the beneciary be required to enrol in a full-time tertiary-lev-
el course or apprenticeship as well as a nancial literacy course. The subject can be deter-
mined in cooperation with Work and Income New Zealand. They will also be able to apply for
a Student Loan and/or Student Allowance. This is to be the case unless:
a. They have one or more dependent children; and/or
b. They are aged over sixty years old.
SOCIAL SERVICES
26 27
AOTEAROA YOUTH DECLARATION 2014 WHAKAPUTANGA RANGATAHI
SOCIAL SERVICES CONTINUED
7. In society today there is a huge amount of discrimination against women in the workplace.
The institution of paid parental leave for women has made them seem like an unattractive
nancial option for businesses. To address this problem and create stronger family units, we
encourage the government to implement compulsory paid parental leave of three months for
mothers and fathers that must be taken within the rst year of the childs life.
8. We encourage those living in state houses to move to afordable housing when they have
attained sustainable nancial stability. This will reduce dependency on state housing.
9. Mori and Pasika citizens are overrepresented in low income and poverty gures. We rec-
ommend the Government play an active role in embracing Mori and Pasika culture through
targeted community engagements. These could occur in areas such as education, business,
health, local government and ethnic afairs; they can be organised through government-fund-
ed cultural clubs and speaker series. This would empower marginalised groups to break the
poverty cycle whilst simultaneously embracing their community and culture.
Vulnerable Children
10. As there is no agreed denition of child poverty in Aotearoa New Zealand, we recommend a
statistical denition of child poverty in order for citizens and organisations to better under-
stand and respond to this issue.
11. Stigmas surround postnatal depression even though it afects over one in ten new mothers.
Because the mothers health plays a signicant role in childrens wellbeing, we urge the Gov-
ernment to provide greater assistance to postnatal service providers such as Plunket. Service
providers should aim to have staf from a wide variety of cultural and age groups and be
considerate of cultural practices.
12. The current child support system relies too heavily on parental responsibility for payments.
We believe this allows for evasion of payments and increases the sufering of vulnerable chil-
dren. We recommend that where the paying parent has an established income stream, child
support payments be taken directly by the employer through a scheme similar to Pay As You
Earn.
13. We believe that the KickStart Breakfast Programme does not go far enough to address the
issue of child hunger. Without having their nutritional needs met, children cannot be expected
to perform at schools. We suggest the Government provides breakfast and lunch to students
in Decile 1 Decile 4 primary schools. Schools above Decile 4 can have the option to apply
to participate in the programme. This will be funded by the Government, in conjunction with
donations from both the school and commercial businesses.
14. Young women who become pregnant while still in high school are more likely to drop out
of school; only a third of teenage mothers obtain high school leaving qualications. This has
negative consequences for both the mother and child. We recommend at least one educa-
tional facility capable of catering to teenage mothers exists within each region of Aotearoa
New Zealand. For students (both mothers and fathers) who do not access these schools,
correspondence education should be promoted as an alternative.
Abortion
15. At present, teenage pregnancy is a major issue which negatively afects the mother and
children involved. With abortions being extremely costly and difcult to access, many young
women and men can be forced into a family situation they are not nancially, mentally or
emotionally prepared for. We recommend the Government heavily subsidise abortions and
removes regulations reducing access to abortions for those under the age of 25. We believe
this will make it easier for youths to maintain control of their own future and reduce the
amount of child poverty in the long-term.
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AOTEAROA YOUTH DECLARATION 2014 WHAKAPUTANGA RANGATAHI
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
Technology
1. Youth often become involved in negative use of social media. This can manifest in cyber-bul-
lying, which can cause mental health and emotional issues. We recommend the Government
continues to support educational programmes such as NetSafes OWLS programme. We also
support a nation-wide implementation of a cyber-safety programme that raises mramatan-
ga and repercussions of the severity of cyberbullying, with an online tikanga component. We
encourage the continual renewing of the programme.
2. We believe that technology advances rapidly and is crucial to young peoples development.
However, many rangatahi are too dependent on technology and its uses. This leads reduc-
es their association with wider community and has a negative impact on their emotional
wellbeing. We urge the Government to request teachers and non-governmental youth pro-
grammes to promote the importance of extra-curricular activities: this will increase a sense of
whanaungatanga in the community that cannot be replicated or achieved through technolo-
gy.
3. We have easy access to information on the Internet. This means many youth are subject to
abuse and exposed to explicit content. This creates expectations on youth to behave difer-
ently. We recommend that the pressures of cyberbullying and explicit content are managed
to reduce negative efects. Steps include calling upon the experience of older youths to ed-
ucate and support younger youths, increasing restrictions on the availability of such content
and the consequences of accessing them, and increasing awareness of the issues involved.
Youth in Poverty
4. Youth from lower socioeconomic backgrounds experience barriers to engaging in extra-cur-
ricular activities due to nancial hardship. As a result, they can feel excluded from wider com-
munity due to a lack of communication and life skills, culminating in dissociation from civic
participation. We recommend that the Government allocates sufcient funding to schools
and community groups to enhance whanautanga and allow participation in extra-curricular
activities. This will also encourage a sense of kotahitanga in such communities.
5. We have a neglected and disproportionately high number of youths living below the relative
poverty line. These youths lack basic necessities which has the ow-on efect of preventing
them from realising their full potential. We urge the Government to create a youth-focussed
department at Work and Income New Zealand that focuses on those who are at risk of or are
living below the relative poverty line. This department can impart education on life skills and
nancial advice, with a focus on creating a sense of rangatiratanga within youths.
6. We recognise that educational opportunities for youth who live in poverty or in rural areas are
limited. This lack of accessibility restricts their opportunities to gain skills and qualications
that are necessary to realise their aspirations for the future. We recommend that the Gov-
ernment designate a scholarship programme to manaaki youth so that they have an equal
chance to whakamana themselves, receiving the quality education they require.
Social Inclusion
7. There is a culture of excluding LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, queer) individu-
als in schools such as restricting who a student can attend their school ball with. This culture
leads to low self-esteem, restricts individual expression and perpetuates attitudes of inferior-
ity towards LGBTQ+ youth. We recommend that the Government creates a framework that
introduces a sense of kotahitanga, creates a position of acceptance for LGBTQ+ youth in their
school communities and embraces the maramatanga of LGBTQ+ youth.
8. There is a lack of understanding in society of Mori customs, which contributes to cultural
insensitivity and an ignorance of mramatanga. We urge the Government to:
a. Promote integration of aspects of Mori culture into school operation, for example
pwhiri, kapa haka, and waiata to welcome guests and mihimihi during assemblies;
b. Urges all schools to incorporate a Mori viewpoint when approaching curriculum topics,
for example a focus on Maori history;
c. Support the expansion of Te Reo workshops in primary schools; and
d. Encourage intermediate and tertiary schools to ofer Te Reo as a subject.
9. As youth, we lack understanding of our deaf culture. This limits the social interactions of deaf
persons in our communities. Recognising that New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) is one
of our ofcial languages, we recommend that the Government include NZSL as a language
option in the curriculum to stress the importance of kotahitanga.
Youth Unemployment
10. There are insufcient employment opportunities for youth that provide the experience need-
ed for future aspirations. Consequently, the youth unemployment rate has increased and
youth community engagement has decreased. We recommend that the Government create
youth-operated enterprises that provide youth employment, mentorship and a sense of com-
munity.
Youth Suicide
11. The youth suicide rate is unacceptably high compared to that of other countries, and this is
due to a culture of stigmatisation regarding mental health and self-esteem. As a result, many
youths do not feel comfortable seeking advice from professionals. An environment where
youth are comfortable expressing their feelings and concerns is vital. We propose initiating a
programme to educate youth in addressing hauora hinengaro and increasing funding to med-
ical and social services which develop positive hauora for youth.
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AOTEAROA YOUTH DECLARATION 2014 WHAKAPUTANGA RANGATAHI
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