Wagga's youth speak out about shortfalls at Wagga City Council's Shape Your City youth forum

Daily Advertiser 11th September 2019

SHARING IDEAS: Wagga High School's Tanisha Melmoth brainstorms ideas at a youth forum.

WAGGA'S youth say targeting the city's shortfalls will be a priority in order to accelerate population growth. As the city's leaders set their sights on expanding its population to 100,000 residents by 2038, Wagga's youth had the opportunity to share ideas at the council's Shape Your City youth forum. Mater Dei Catholic College year 11 student Holly Mack said the focus needs to shift away from expanding the population size to strengthening existing services and identifying the gaps. "I feel that Wagga is expanding, but it's not looking at what we currently have and what the city doesn't have," she said. "For instance, there aren't a lot of things for teenagers to do on the weekends." Holly expects that families will contribute largely to the boost of more than 30,000 residents, therefore the city's leaders need to concentrate on building a family-focused environment. "There are going to be so many families coming in with kids who will grow up here and I feel that we need to have a look at what's happening in our city for young people and how we can improve that," she said. "I know a lot will move away for university, but the council needs to connect with young people, bridge that gap to encourage them to come back."

Mater Dei Catholic College year 11 student Holly Mack.

Wagga High School year 12 student Tanisha Melmoth said public transport options need attention if the city intends to grow further. She said the bus services did not reach her home in Moorong and is the case for many other young people. "Our current public transport doesn't reach certain areas of the city and it's very minimal. Many buses are full, which is the problem because the current number of services doesn't meet the demand," she said. "We need to make sure there are enough activities for different areas of the city as obviously not everyone can get into the main precinct." Mount Austin High School year 12 student Georgia Boyland agreed more public transport is required moving forward, as well as youth-friendly activities. "Public transport gives young people more opportunities to entertain themselves with shopping or going to events like Lost Lanes with friends," she said. "But we need more shows and DJ's available for people who aren't able to go into clubs."