Cathy McGowan (Indi, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Colleagues, I acknowledge some of my constituents in the parliament today: Freida, Sam and Trinity, who are volunteering in my office. In making my comments today I will talk about the role of educators in my electorate. I bring to the attention of the House one amazing example of education that's taking place in the small rural community of Mansfield. During the break I had the pleasure of being a guest of Mansfield Primary School, talking to their students about leadership, but the circumstances were quite unusual: grade 6 students, as part of their break-up, were on an adventure from Mansfield to the top of Mount Buller, a four-day Outward-Bound-type experience of walking, riding bikes, climbing, bonding, camping and learning to work together. These young students invited me to come and talk to them about leadership during the middle of their camp. I had the enormous pleasure of doing that. As part of this whole program of graduation and transition, the students were moving from being grade 6 students to young adults, ready to go to high school. I acknowledge Larissa Hall from Mansfield Primary School and all their teachers, but also Peter Christison from Whitfield and Tasman Cocks from Bright, support teachers from the Victorian Department of Education and Training's Residential Outdoor Schools Association, as they worked so well together with the outdoor education component of the school.

The students were into day 2 of their four-day trip, cycling, walking, camping and working hard together. I asked the young people what message I should bring to parliament. The Mansfield young people want: more satellite phones; NBN for Merton; non-fossil-fuel energy sources; free wifi everywhere, particularly in Mansfield town; fewer city-type houses in the town; and space for backyards. They want the Mansfield train back and better public transport connectivity between Seymour, Benalla and Melbourne. They want the limit on the number of pets allowed in houses to be increased—they all want more pets! They want the driving age for young people—currently it's 18—to be like in New South Wales, where you can be 17 when you get your driver's licence. They want more residential growth to be planned and not spread out into the paddocks; they want agriculture in the paddocks. They want more bike paths and more kids' clothing stores. To Ruby, Tara, Jay and all the other young people who gave me your advice, thank you. I note another amazing thing that happens in Mansfield: Timbertop and Lauriston, Melbourne schools, come and work in my electorate and bring their enormous intellectual capital to my community. We love having you, and we love the programs that you offer us.

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