Keith Wolahan (Menzies, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

My electorate has 44 schools, and one of the first things I did as a member was to launch an award called the Menzies Shield, which is an award for citizenship, leadership or another category that the school picks. The other benefit of visiting those schools in the assemblies is that I have often been invited to speak to children, particularly in primary schools but also in some secondary schools. Recently I've spoken to children at St Anne's in Park Orchards, Carey Baptist Grammar School students here in parliament, Donvale Christian College students, Templestowe Valley Primary School students, Whitefriars Catholic College students and St Kevin's Catholic Primary School—and many others last year as well.

There's no greater privilege than standing in front of a whole assembly of students. When they get asked to put their hands up, it's what I imagine the full press gallery would be like if they were all together, except I think the students' questions are better. They're unfiltered and they're straight from their hearts about what they think is important. Some of them are like this: 'What made you want to become a member of parliament?' The answer I give is that it's a great honour to serve. I wasn't born here, and I always look for opportunities to give back. I think serving in this place is one of the greatest honours we all can have. They also ask questions like, 'How much do you get paid?' The answer is: enough. We get paid more than most Australians, to the point where we don't worry as much as others do.

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