Being the change I want to see

We are living in exceptional times.

We live in world where our world leaders are failing to address climate change. There’s depleting natural resources, extreme poverty, human rights abuses and global warming.

India has certainly progressed to address environmental issues, but there is a long way to go. The country faces challenges such as air pollution, deforestation, environmental degradation, high greenhouse gas emissions, solid pollution and waste. Despite all this, its people are establishing a lifestyle based on consumerism and materialism.

Our ecosystem does not have any borders, and so our actions have repercussion on the whole planet.

But what can one person do?

What is our responsibility? Is there a need for young people to be involved in politics?

I think there is. For me, ‘politics’ is not a dirty word.

Being involved in politics in Australia means to make your voice heard on issues that you care about. It means to not be ignorant and to not stand on the sidelines. It is to challenge our Members of Parliament to commit to governing our country through progressive laws. For this to happen, the general population needs to be actively involved in social issues and be the change they want to see.

I first realised this when I was 11, as I watched the Hindu-Muslim conflict unfold on the news on TV. I was so upset with what I saw that I cried for the whole night feeling completely helpless, and at the same time refusing to accept that such incidents could occur in a place that I call home.

At 14, my friends and I campaigned at the local shopping mall to raise awareness about human rights abuses taking place in a Chinese Apple iPod factory. I found that workers were forced to work 24 hours without a break, were significantly underpaid and their working conditions were unsafe. My friends and I urged the shoppers to sign our petition to compel the company to put in place basic workers’ rights in the factory. I remember one shopper walking directly up to me, looking at me in the eye and saying, “I know why you are here and I support what you do, keep it up!”

This was the beginning of knowing that I should never remain silent on issues that mattered to me. If one person out of hundreds of shoppers felt that I had made a difference that day then, evidently one person can make a difference.

Currently, I have the absolute privilege of working in the Parliament of South Australia as a Policy Advisor and Parliamentary Liaison Officer. My job is to read pieces of legislation, lay out a policy strategy, consult with respective stakeholders and put forward recommendations. My main achievement to date has been the ‘Work Health and Safety Bill’, which was a national harmonising safety law. I am currently working on a Bill that seeks to better protect our state’s firefighters. I recently worked for Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young on her re-election campaign. It was a great experience to play a pivotal role in Sarah gaining a Federal seat for SA!

I feel compelled to act and get involved in politics, as it is my citizen’s duty and a right. Unfortunately, in many parts of the world this is not possible. I am influenced by my parents who are passionate environmentalists, and hold strong social justice values with which I have grown up. Change begins at home. It begins by talking to friends about issues and spreading the word by raising awareness. One piece of advice I’d give is to be informed about the choices you make. As consumers we make a political statement with every choice that we make. For instance, by refusing to purchase cosmetics from companies that undertake animal testing, you make a political statement that consumers are moving against animal cruelty and animal testing. Also, it’s a great way to support cosmetic companies that do not practice animal testing.

I think young Indian people are politically minded as we challenge the ‘status-quo’. There is a need to be empowered to believe that we are the leaders of today and tomorrow. It is up to us to make a difference. We need to stand up on issues that matter and make way for change.

22-year-old Yesha Joshi is Policy Advisor and Parliamentary Liaison Officer to the Hon. Tammy Franks MLC in South Australia. She is also co-producer and presenter at a weekly ‘Your Rights @Night’, a radio program that tackles industrial relations issues.

My job as Policy Advisor is to read pieces of legislation, lay out a policy strategy, consult with respective stakeholders and put forward