Anne Webster (Mallee, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Regional Health) Share this | Hansard source

I have a statement, as part of the Raise Our Voice in Parliament campaign, from Miley, a student in Mallee. She says:

I envision a future where every child has the freedom to express themselves authentically and confidently. This vision includes schools where individuality is celebrated and creativity is nurtured. One way we can move toward this future is by reevaluating the role of school uniforms in our education system. While uniforms are intended to create equality and reduce distractions, they can also suppress students' individuality and self-expression. Imagine a classroom where students are free to choose their attire based on their personal style, preferences, and cultural backgrounds. This freedom can foster a sense of belonging and boost self-esteem, leading to a more engaged and motivated student body. The next parliament has an opportunity to champion this change by supporting policies that allow schools the flexibility to adopt dress codes that embrace individuality while maintaining a focus on respect and inclusivity. By doing so, we can create an educational environment that not only prepares students for academic success but also respects and celebrates who they are.

Thank you, Miley, for your contribution.

Today is the first sitting day after 7 October, the first anniversary of the horrific attacks on Israeli and other civilians by Hamas backed militants, claiming 1,200 Israeli lives, the most deaths of Jewish people since the Holocaust. Yet, to my horror, there are some people here in Australia who have celebrated the attack, not only immediately in the aftermath but in protests up to this weekend and today. I attended the Israeli embassy last night for a very moving tribute service for the innocent lives lost. The seventh of October should forever be etched in our memories as a time of morning, yet activists have turned it into a day of division. After Israel's retaliatory strikes on Hezbollah in Lebanon, brazen individuals in Australia raise the Hezbollah banner, in solidarity with a listed terrorist organisation and in breach of our laws. Not one terrorist sympathiser should remain on a visa in our country. Shamefully, the Labor government, politically stuck between a rock and a Greens place, has lacked leadership and the ticker to stand up to the antisemitic sentiment and to terrorist sympathisers and their political enablers here and across Australia.

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