Young Labor’s Belinda Thomas, 19, slams critics after she whinged about applying for retail jobs

A teenage Labor Party activist who whinged about having to apply for retail jobs because she wanted to be a classically-trained musician has hit back at her critics.

Belinda Thomas, 19, was mocked on social media after she appeared in a New South Wales Young Labor video on youth unemployment.

‘When I was 17, I needed income to support myself in order to have a claim of independence from my family situation,’ she said in a video filmed at trendy Chippendale on the fringe of Sydney’s city centre.

‘Unable to use my 12 years of training as a classical musician to find a job, I ended up sending about 10 applications to retail jobs and only ended up scrounging one by chance.’

 

A teenage Labor Party activist who whinged about having to apply for retail jobs because she wanted to be a classically-trained musician has hit back at her critics

On Tuesday, Ms Thomas responded to the backlash to the video with a post on Facebook.

‘Helo thank u 2 everyone who has stood up for me today or sent a kind message it do be meaning a Lot(sic),’ she said.

Ms Thomas’s post came after her critics slammed her for her attitude.  

‘Starve then, ungrateful. Maybe send her to pick fruit for her government-funded pay,’ one comment said. 

Her unkind critics suggested she work at a fast food outlet, like plenty of other teenagers who are studying.

‘Tough, time to get in the real world,’ one person said.

‘McDonald’s and KFC are opening up so try there, snowflake.’ 

Another wrote that Ms Thomas’s attitude made her ‘another leftist millennial, a product of that left’s slow march through the education system’.

Ms Thomas was also criticised for suggesting she deserved to have fame.

‘Well, we can’t all be famous for doing nothing,’ one person said.

‘Most of us normal people do have to work. The sooner she realises that the happier she will be.’   

Belinda Thomas, 19, has been mocked on social media after she appeared in a New South Wales Young Labor video on youth unemployment

Belinda Thomas, 19, has been mocked on social media after she appeared in a New South Wales Young Labor video on youth unemployment

On Tuesday Ms Thomas responded to the backlash to the video with a post on Facebook (pictured)

On Tuesday Ms Thomas responded to the backlash to the video with a post on Facebook (pictured) 

NSW Young Labor president Paul Mills, who also appeared in the video, declined to respond to Daily Mail Australia’s requests for comment, including one asking if the youth movement still believed in standing up for young retail and hospitality workers.

Young Labor deleted many critical Facebook comments posted yesterday but it missed one mocking their three-minute video.

‘I love video games and have trained tirelessly on it for years,’  one said.

‘No one will give me a job based on my skills and passion for video games.

‘The world has to change to cater for my interest and pay me as well as the doctors that spent their life learning life-saving skills.’ 

Young Labor deleted many critical Facebook comments posted yesterday but it missed one mocking their three-minute video

Young Labor deleted many critical Facebook comments posted yesterday but it missed one mocking their three-minute video

While Ms Thomas was mocked on Facebook, a minority of posts slammed Daily Mail Australia, accusing this publication of trivialising the plight of youths struggling to find work during the coronavirus recession

While Ms Thomas was mocked on Facebook, a minority of posts slammed Daily Mail Australia, accusing this publication of trivialising the plight of youths struggling to find work during the coronavirus recession

Many more comments slammed Ms Thomas for her attitude

Many more comments slammed Ms Thomas for her attitude

Another critic suggested Ms Thomas's attitude made her 'another lefist millennial, a product of that left's slow march through the education system'

Another critic suggested Ms Thomas’s attitude made her ‘another lefist millennial, a product of that left’s slow march through the education system’

Ms Thomas was also criticised for suggesting she deserved to have fame

Ms Thomas was also criticised for suggesting she deserved to have fame

Her unkind critics suggested she work at a fast food outlet, like plenty of other teenagers who are studying

Her unkind critics suggested she work at a fast food outlet, like plenty of other teenagers who are studying

NSW Young Labor has produced some of Australia’s most powerful politicians since it was formed in 1948, with its past presidents including former prime minister Paul Keating, former NSW premier and foreign minister Bob Carr and Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese.

Mr Keating was treasurer in 1991 during Australia’s last recession and was the last PM to govern during an era of double-digit unemployment.

Youth unemployment in June rose to 16.4 per cent, with the coronavirus recession making life in the labour market particularly tough for those aged 15 to 24.

The jobless rate among the young was more than double last month’s national average of 7.4 per cent, itself the highest since November 1998, when Mr Carr was premier of Australia’s biggest state. 

Belinda Thomas has been heavily criticised on social media but she had a minority of supporters

Belinda Thomas has been heavily criticised on social media but she had a minority of supporters

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