By Ana Kailis
AUCKLAND — With postal votes now counted, the National Party has retained government with 50 seats in the 99-member parliament. This result will only increase the alienation from mainstream politics felt by many young people in New Zealand. I spoke to 19-year-old Mana Motuhake (Maori party) member Jodie Hamilton. The youngest candidate to contest the election, Hamilton was a candidate for the Alliance, which groups Mana Motuhake with NewLabour, Greens and two other smaller parties.
What are the main issues affecting young people in New Zealand today?
There are several big issues such as the education system and how it's getting so costly. Universities are becoming breeding grounds for the elite. As a result of that, a lot of people leave school untrained and unskilled; then they can't get jobs.
The official unemployment rate for people under 25 is 26% (the adult rate is 10%). So education and unemployment would be the two main issues. As well, the National [Party] government has cut out unemployment benefits for 16-18 year olds. Sixteen is the school leaving age, so what you do for those two years? I know a lot of young people who have turned to a bit of crime. When young people do get jobs, they get exploited in the workplace because there is no minimum wage for people under 20.
On campus there have been protests about tertiary fee increases. What are the issues affecting campus students?
Fees are a major issue. The National Party government came in with the promise that it would abolish fees. Well, it has abolished fees, but it has now placed the burden on the universities to cover costs; students are charged the same.
On Otago campus in Dunedin, students were protesting earlier this year against the increase in fees. The response of the administration was to bring in the riot police. As well, it's so hard to get a student living allowance now. A really small percentage of students are eligible. It's means tested on combined parents' income when you're over 25.
Do these factors particularly affect the participation of women and Maori?
I haven't seen any statistics, but as a Maori woman I know we are really under-represented on university. Also, a lot of courses that Maori do take are short courses, so they pay and then get out straight away. The implications for staying at university are that they will get more and more into debt with student loans.
How do young people feel about the political system?
Recently, I went to a "peace, power and politics" conference organised by the Aoteroa Peace Group. As a result of that, I was in a young activists' meeting and it was jam-packed with young people who were so unhappy about the political system.
Subsequently they stepped right out of it, and that really worries me, because if these young people have decided to step out, how many others have decided to step out too and not to voice their opinions?
By doing that, young people are letting the people in power stay in power, because they're not having their say. Young people are disillusioned with the political system and with politicians.
What alternative do you think the Alliance can offer young people?
I see the Alliance as a coalition of parties looking to the future. Because it's an alliance of five diverse parties it can offer a lot. The Maori policies come through all the policies, and so does the green element, which is so important for young people just to ensure that our children have an environment to grow up in.
I'm also involved with the campus Alliance. We will now be looking beyond electoral politics to campaign around issues that young people are concerned about.