Picture: Salty Dingo
Young people living in regional and rural areas can now finalise their P-plate licence applications online without needing to travel considerable distances to Service NSW offices, thanks to the NSW Nationals in the state government and the Regional Youth Taskforce.
NSW Nationals Minister for Regional Youth Bronnie Taylor said the 18-member taskforce, which met again in Queanbeyan last weekend, had made real progress on addressing the everyday issues facing young people throughout regional NSW.
“The taskforce first met nine months ago and soon after their ideas were helping shape the Drought Break program that gave hundreds of young people in the hardest hit drought areas the chance to attend recreation camps and sporting clinics for free,” Mrs Taylor said.
“A meeting with Minister for Customer Service Victor Dominello resulted in a policy change that allows P1 licence holders to progress to a P2 licence via an online process, instead of having to potentially travel hundreds of kilometres to a Service NSW centre.
“More recently, the taskforce gave feedback to Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell on the NSW curriculum review, also outlining the unique online learning challenges regional students face during COVID-19, which the Department of Education is now considering and acting upon.”
Mrs Taylor said taskforce members have learned about how government works and understand how consultation with ministers can drive real outcomes and results.
“I am so proud of everything this taskforce has achieved in such a short space of time and the commitment of members to improving life in the regions for their peers,” Mrs Taylor said.
The taskforce meeting last weekend coincided with the release of the Regional Youth Framework and an action plan, which outline the NSW Nationals in the state government’s strategic priorities for regional young people over the next five years.
