Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

A few months ago here in Canberra, I met Ava, a year 11 student from Yeronga State High School. On Public Education Day, I recognise that great high school in my electorate. Ava has been doing an internship in office as part of Yeronga State High's work experience program. She's turning 17 this year and so will not have the opportunity to vote in the referendum, but Ava does have a clear message to those who can vote. So I'm reading out to Australia what Ava has written so we can all hear her concerns:

Repressed, ignored, forgotten, neglected.

For over 200 years, First Nations people have been left out of the conversation. As a country we finally have a chance to give them the voice they should have been given 200 years ago and there are still people who ask, 'but why'.

The matter is not one up for debate, the passing of the Voice would mean that we as a Nation are one step closer to representation and diversity in our parliament.

As a delegate for Queensland at the 2023 National Schools Constitutional Convention I can confidently say that 90% of the delegates, all high school age, that attended—were not only for the Voice but were supportive of it since its proposal in the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

So, although I cannot vote—I urge you to vote 'YES' on the Voice to Parliament.

They are Ava's words—those of a year 11 student from Yeronga State High School—that I put on the table for Hansard, for everyone to listen. Thank you, Ava, for taking the time. I'm sure that you're going to be a great member for Moreton in years to come.

See this speech in context