Celia Hammond (Curtin, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) recognises that after more than twelve years at school, year 12 students will soon complete their final examinations and transition to the next phase of their lives—this may include pursuing higher education, engaging with vocational education and training (VET) or entering the workforce;

(2) acknowledges the valuable contribution hard working teachers have made in our communities in educating, nurturing, encouraging and motivating our 2019 school leavers;

(3) notes the Government's record investment in education funding including:

  (a) a record $21.3 billion for state schools, catholic schools and independent schools for the 2020 school year, an increase in funding of $8.5 billion since 2013;

  (b) a record $8.6 billion for child care and $17.7 billion for the university sector in the 2019-20 budget;

  (c) $30.2 million in 2019-20 to establish the Local School Community Fund to support priority projects in local schools that benefit students and their communities;

  (d) $71.6 million to improve outcomes for very remote students by encouraging teachers to teach and stay longer in their schools through remitting the HELP debt; and

  (e) a commitment to support the VET sector through a $525.3 million Skills Package; and

(4) congratulates the Government on its continued commitment and investment in education from early learning through to higher education and VET to ensure our young people have the opportunity to succeed, gain employment and live their best lives.

For many year 12 students in our electorates, the school year is now drawing to a close, with final exams either underway or due to begin shortly. These students, the majority of them born in 2001 and 2002, are post-millennial, sometimes known as the iGen or gen Z. For the majority of young people growing up across Australia, they have never known a world without Pixar movies, Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, The Hunger Games, Twilight, the internet, Google, social media or selfies. They have engaged with the old Marvel vs DC debate and the new Minecraft phenomenon and lived the Fortnite phase—the less said about that, the better! Just like Harry, Hermione and Ron in the Harry Potter series and Frodo in The Lord of the Rings, our year 12s across the country are about to leave a stage of their life which, whether they've enjoyed it or not, has become very familiar to them. They are about to embark on their own adventures. They may not be battling Voldemort or having to return a ring on Middle Earth, but the exam period can be extremely stressful and daunting for them and their loved ones. The endless 'What are you going to do with the rest of your life?' questions can be overwhelming. It's understandable that our year 12s across the country will be feeling adrenaline and a mix of emotions—enthusiasm, excitement, anxiety and some trepidation.

To all the school leavers across the country, but particularly the 2,500 or so in my electorate of Curtin, I say the following: these exams are important, but you owe it to yourself, your family and your school to do your best. But also remember, just as Harry Potter thought the Sorting Hat was the be-all and end-all of the world when he first went to Hogwarts, he soon realised that it didn't determine his life for all time. So too are these exams important, but they do not determine who you are, your worth or your dignity. All of you have a special purpose, special gifts and talents. You may not know what your path in life is at this particular moment, and there may be a number of times that you change that path, but always remember that you have a purpose. Learn from the past and prepare for the future, but make sure you live in the present.

More broadly, as someone who is passionate about education and with a personal investment in this year's final year 12 exams through my eldest son, I note the following: we have an excellent education system in Australia. We have passionate and dedicated teachers, we have excellent facilities and we have a shared understanding across all levels of government, across all political parties that education is vitally important at an individual and at a societal level both for the here and now and for the future of our country. As excellent as it is and as shared as we may all be in understanding the importance of education, we can always do better. It is the role of government to continue to look at ways of improving the system and improving outcomes. On particular strategies we may disagree in this chamber but, to me, that is a sign that our educational system is working and that our country is healthy and vital. We have the capacity and the knowledge to review, innovate, assess and implement, and we have the freedom to debate and disagree.

Our government is demonstrating its commitment to excellence in education through this year's budget, a record $21.3 billion investment in funding for state schools, Catholic schools and independent schools for the 2020 school year and a record $17.7 billion investment in the university sector in 2019. A number of new strategies include a $525 million investment to strengthen the VET sector through a skills package and a revamp of the VET sector to ensure our VET sector is accessible, of high quality and responsive to what industry needs. The $30.2 million Local Schools Community Fund to assist schools to undertake small, identified and prioritised projects will be of benefit to the local school community. There are more but I will stop there.

By way of finishing, I congratulate our government for backing our students by ensuring we have the best options and resources available to them. I acknowledge and thank our dedicated school leaders and teachers, who support, motivate and guide our students throughout their years at school. My particular thanks go to the teachers in my electorate of Curtin. Finally, to the school leavers in my electorate: I wish you all the best over the coming months. In the words of Dumbledore: it matters not what someone is born but what they grow to be. (Time expired)

See this speech in context