Tim Watts (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Today, on Public Education Day, I want to rise to congratulate an outstanding public school student from my electorate, Williamstown High School student and Gumbaynggirr woman, Aretha Stewart-Brown, who today was elected as the first female Prime Minister of the National Indigenous Youth Parliament, an initiative of the YMCA and the Australian Electoral Commission. As the first female leader of this institution, Aretha follows in the footsteps of other female leaders from Melbourne's west, including Julia Gillard, our first female prime minister, and Joan Kirner, our first female premier—a great tradition for Aretha to follow in.

I had the pleasure last night—the 25th anniversary of the Mabo decision and the 50th anniversary of the 1967 Indigenous referendum—of talking with Aretha at a function in the Australian Parliament House, and I can report that she was a thoughtful and inspiring young woman. She is showing leadership in her school, in her community and in our nation's capital. We were discussing last night the long journey that we have on the road to closing the gap and ensuring equality for our first Australians, but I was able to say to her that, while this road is long at the big-picture level, stories like Aretha's—the individual success stories; the individual triumphs of young Indigenous Australians—give me optimism about the road that we are travelling and the success we can achieve.

Aretha will be in action at the Australian Museum of Democracy on the weekend. I encourage Canberra residents to go and see her in action. I know that there are great things ahead of her. Congratulations, Aretha, and congratulations, Williamstown public high.

See this speech in context