Peta Murphy (Dunkley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Students at schools across Dunkley are showing genuine leadership by taking steps to make their schools more sustainable, and they are calling on the government to take real action on climate change. One terrific example is the work of the Eco Team at Frankston High School. I was very pleased recently to accept the invitation from Frankston High School's Eco Team members Michaela Goggin and Allira Reid to support their campaign to make Frankston High School single-use-plastic free in 2020 by speaking at their recent school assembly, where they presented the evidence and the urgency for taking real action to their classmates.

Each time I've visited Frankston High School, the students have made it clear that they intend to play their part in ensuring we have a sustainable future, and they want their government to as well. They lobbied me very professionally and convincingly to hear their voices and to help them to have others hear their voices too. They have the backing of their fellow students. Very impressively, the Eco Team have collected 554 signatures from their school community on a petition calling on the House to declare that we're in a climate emergency, commit to reducing carbon emissions and commit to increasing action to reduce climate change impacts in Australia, particularly for those who are most vulnerable. It does them real credit that they are concerned for people who are most vulnerable. Frankston High School Eco Team presented me with their petition and asked me to table it in the parliament. I'm very proud to have the opportunity to seek leave to table their petition today on their behalf.

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