5 July 2012
DAFF12/353L
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Joe Ludwig, has today announced $120,000 in funding for the ABC’s Heywire initiative.
Since 1998, the Heywire competition has been giving young people from rural and regional areas a chance to tell their stories about life in rural and regional Australia.
“In the past 14 years, more than 7000 young Australians have shared their stories through Heywire,” Minister Ludwig said.
“These stories give us insight into the lives of our young people, the issues that affect them, their passions and the places they call home.
“I am pleased to be able to announce funding to support this initiative across the next three years, to 2014-15.”
Each year, competition winners converge on Canberra for the Heywire Regional Youth Summit, where they participate in leadership and personal development activities, networking with Members of Parliament, government and community leaders along the way.
Winners work together to develop project proposals that will create positive change in their communities, and present these to the government sponsors.
“At the most recent Heywire Summit in February this year, I met with competition winners from across Australia,” Minister Ludwig said.
“For many, the summit was a life changing event and their experiences will help these remarkable young people get involved in strengthening the communities of Australia and make valuable contributions to the future of our nation.
“The connection between urban and rural Australia has always been an important one and I’m pleased to announce this funding in the Australian Year of the Farmer.
“Young people are the key to the future of primary industries and it is vitally important that they are given opportunities through initiatives such as Heywire.”
The Australian Government has supported the Heywire initiative since its inception and this funding continues the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry commitment to the program. For more information, visit the Heywire page.
