Melissa Price (Durack, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Today I want to share with you a heartening story of a small primary school in my electorate: Coorow Primary School. This little gem of a school is nestled in the mid-west region of Durack, between Moora and Carnamah. The town and its school may be very small in size, but their ideas and spirits are as vast as the bush that surrounds them. Recently I had the privilege of receiving letters from years 5 and 6 students at Coorow Primary School in response to my Durack Biggest Survey. This comprehensive survey was sent out to all Durack households, aimed at identifying community concerns and gaining a deeper understanding of what truly worries my constituents.

Ms Shiona Herbert is the students' science and HASS teacher who helped these young people to articulate their views on the questions contained within the Durack Biggest Survey. Through Ms Herbert's guidance the students were encouraged to delve into important community issues, paving the way for them to be able to develop an interest in matters that shape our society and nation. Ms Herbert's efforts in nurturing these bright minds from a tender age are truly commendable, and I want to thank her for that.

As I read through their responses, I was simply amazed by the level of wisdom and understanding displayed by these young minds. Their concerns reflect not only the challenges faced by their families but also the compassion that they hold for their community. Concerns raised in these letters were across a range of issues, with a focus on the increasing cost of living. These children are now living in a world where, in their own words, 'Nanna and Pop can't even buy us treats anymore.' Additional concerns raised were about local roads and accident black spots that impact the safety of their community. One student even wrote the word 'miserable' instead of using the 'good, fair, poor' rating system. Such was the quality of the roads in this young person's region.

Some students mention that their parents are struggling with employment, a fact which seems to weigh heavily on their minds as they acknowledge the emotional and mental toll that it can take on families. One student suggested that there was a need for more security around the pub and asked that a sign be installed saying, 'Turn beams off at the top of the hill.' Obviously this was a road safety initiative, and this young person had thought a lot about what the community needs. Another said, 'I think WA should be its own country but still in Australia, like Scotland in Great Britain.' Another said that they would like to have more frog bogs. When asked what is most important for school education at the time, the majority of the students asked for more funding for facilities and more teachers and resources. My take-out from these young children is that they love their community and they love their families but they are concerned.

See this speech in context