Stuart Robert (Fadden, Liberal Party, Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to acknowledge the great student leaders within the schools of the northern Gold Coast in the electorate of Fadden. Young people play an extraordinary part in the life of our communities. Their actions have the potential to influence their peers, and that influence should not be underestimated. For many of them, 2019 is the start of their great leadership journey. For the northern Gold Coast schools, 448 outstanding young Australians from 27 local schools have answered the call to serve their community.

These schools include A. B. Paterson College, Arundel State School, Biggera Waters State School, Coombabah State School, Coombabah State High School, Coomera State School, Coomera Rivers State School, Helensvale State High School, Helensvale State School, King's Christian College Pimpama Campus, Jubilee Primary School, Labrador State School, Livingstone Christian College, Lutheran Ormeau Rivers District School, Mother Teresa Catholic Primary School, Ormeau State School, Ormeau Woods State High School, Oxenford State School, Pacific Pines State High School, Pacific Pines Primary School, Park Lake State School, Picnic Creek State School, Pimpama State Primary College, Pimpama State Secondary College, St Francis Xavier Catholic Primary School, Toogoolawa School and Woongoolba State School.

I urge these student leaders to strive to achieve their very best in their current roles. Through their influence they now carry a torch of responsibility—in many ways, the first start of a lifelong journey of leadership. I frequently visit the schools, whose leaders' names I'll seek to table today, and I'm regularly welcomed, as many members of this House are, by those schools and the schools' leadership groups. I'm as universally impressed with the young people the schools have chosen to represent them as I am impressed with the teaching staff that serve them through their life of learning.

It's clear the calibre of these young individuals in the northern Gold Coast is of an extraordinarily high level. Some of these students have been elected by their peers and some have been appointed by consensus with members of the school staff, all of whom are watching these exceptional young people grow up, recognising the contribution they can make to their schools, families and communities.

I believe it's important for the Commonwealth to acknowledge the roles and responsibilities of all our young leaders in school communities, which is why I publicly recognise their achievements in the federal parliament today. I wish their students well in their important positions and trust they'll represent their schools and communities to the very best of their abilities. Above all, they should remember that leaders can only truly lead by serving those they seek to represent. Congratulations to all 2019 student leaders. I seek leave to table the names of 448 extraordinary young Gold Coasters who are stepping up to serve their community.

Leave granted.

See this speech in context