Scott Farlow – Young Liberals

It was the night of the 1998 Federal election and Scott Farlow was disappointed. He was at a family function and around him family members were jumping with joy as it looked like Kim Beasley might remove John Howard from power.

By the end of the night though Beasley had won the popular vote, Howard maintained control by a majority of seats. Farlow remembers that while he and a couple of other people were happy, the other 80 “told us to get lost.”

Farlow is the current president of the NSW Young Liberals.

Growing up in Strathfield, NSW, Farlow didn’t know which way his parents voted. An only child, politics was often the topic of conversation with his parents.

“I started holding mock elections when I was four or five. That’s where my interest in politics began.”

Why the Liberal Party?

For Farlow the short answer is that “there’s just something in there that identifies as Liberal.”

Farlow shares the Liberal belief in reward for effort and focus on small government.

“Less government intervention. More trust in the individual running his own life,” he said.

When Robert Menzies formed the Liberal Party in 1944 he invited the Young Nationalists to be part of the movement. This group became the Young Liberals.

Farlow explains that the Young Liberal branches have always played a significant role within the party in what he refers to as the “three pillars of the Young Liberals.”

Young Liberal members play a key role in campaigning both within the party for youth issues and within the youth community.

Members also work on producing policy for state and federal party consideration.

Farlow’s final pillar is the role the Young Liberals play as a training ground for members to develop skills, contacts and engage with the party.

We’re told time and again that young people just aren’t interested in politics. Farlow can sympathize with this.

“When you say you’re interested in politics people look at you like you have two heads.”

He feels that young people are increasingly taking on more responsibility in other aspects of their life so politics do not always come first.

“When things are generally in a stable state and people are generally content they don’t see the need for political activity,” he said.

For Farlow this somewhat explains the perceived ‘apathy’ of younger generations, and he admits he had initial apprehensions when he joined the party.

“I was scared they would be people in smoking jackets with pipes and brandy [and say] ‘Hello old chap, welcome to the Liberal party’…but it isn’t like that at all.”

Farlow describes the NSW Young Liberals as “average, everyday Australians…a very diverse group from all works of life.

“Increasingly people are getting tired of Labor governments. They’re very disillusioned with Rudd and what he promised to do…so they’re joining.”

Farlow became a member of the Liberal Party at 18.

At 19 he was president of the Strathfield State Electoral Conference, a councilor at 20 and at 23 served as Mayor of Strathfield, becoming one of the youngest people in Australia’s history to be elected to such a position.

“Within five years I’ve had a hell of a lot of opportunities…I’ve been very fortunate. I say to anyone, any opportunity you get given, take it. You’ll never know where it will take you,” Farlow said.

For Farlow, the support structure he has received from the Liberal party sets it aside from its Labor opposition.

“They recognise hard work, recognise effort and recognise talent.

“From my understanding of how things work [within the Labor party] the opportunities are not as available.”

Many well known Liberal names are former Young Liberal presidents including former Prime Minister John Howard. Could this be the future for Scott Farlow?

“I think in terms of foreseeing the future it’s always a very dangerous game to play…politics is an interesting business.”

“I say be prepared for anything, expecting nothing.”

Chris Parkin - Young Labor

During the 2004 Federal election, the year of his final high school exams, Chris Parkin spent more time campaigning than studying.

The current president of NSW Young Labor seems to epitomize Young Labor’s motto, “Don’t wish for change. Make it happen.”

Parkin first tasted politics in 2001 when he became involved in campaigning for better funding for public schools.

“I realised than that if I wanted to make change it would not be from the fringe.”

Though he didn’t grow up in a particularly political household, his mother was president of the Parent’s Association at his brother’s school and this gave him grounding in understanding the politics of education.

“I believe in a level playing field. Some people think that private schools give you head start and I feel this shouldn’t be the case,” he said.

Joining Young Labor in late 2004 was a natural progression for Parkin who shares the party’s belief in social justice.

Parkin explains that membership is open to “anyone who wants to make social change.”

“We have high school kids, university students, people in TAFE and people on apprenticeships.”

In keeping with its promise to provide a level playing field there is a sub-network called the Young Labor Women’s Network.

Here young women have the opportunity to interact with other women in the party.

“They can discuss women specific issues. We also have mentoring from senior women in the party.

“It is a forum for young people to get involved…To say what they think Labor should be doing and put forward their own policy and agenda.”

This has the potential to influence State or Federal Labor policy.

Young Labor also plays a role in providing skills training for future politicians and activists and encouraging progressive politics.

For Parkin there is a sense of disconnect between young people and politics.

“To a large extent we see politicians on TV making statements and we view politics as part of the political elite. That you can only have a say in if you are an MP’s son or daughter,” he said.

As a result Parkin feels young people are moving away from politics.

However he is wary of the tendency to label young people as apolitical.

“I want to emphasize that young people are not apathetic.

“In Australia the political system and institutions aren’t really as accessible as they should be…Federal Parliament has so many procedures and rituals that are remnants of the Westminister system. We need a modernization of democracy.”

Parkin cites the rise of online activism groups such as GetUp! as reflective of the need to embrace technology in politics.

It is this shift towards technology that Parkin feels will strengthen young people’s involvement in the democratic process.

Parkin points to a new website launched by the NSW Labor party that provides the opportunity for online interaction, campaigning and organising.

NSW Young Labor has also made a submission to a recent inquiry into the 2007 Federal Election calling for the voting age to be lowered to 16. This has been a long-time Young Labor view.

The submission also asks the inquiry to consider the possibility of online or SMS voting.

“We’re asking them to consider how we can engage young people in democracy and democratic institutions,” he said,

For Parkin, this re-engagement of young people with political parties is crucial to enacting social change.

He repeats what seems to be his mantra: “The best way to have a say is to get involved with the democratic institutions.”

n.b: order of profiles was chosen alphabetically.

photo courtesy of : superciliousness