Bob Baldwin (Paterson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence Science and Personnel) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Tomorrow marks the beginning of the final schooling chapter for more than 70,000 students across New South Wales, with the start of the Higher School Certificate. It will be one of the most challenging yet rewarding exam periods in their lives, and I wish them all the very best. I believe access to a proper education is the most important gift in a child’s life, as it provides them with a greater opportunity to make informed decisions, and this knowledge can never be taken away from them.

As the parent of a child who is one of the many thousands of students set to commence exams tomorrow, I would like to share with the House the same advice I gave to my son, Robbie, and his friends: the importance of the Higher School Certificate cannot, and should not, be understated. However, the exams are not the be-all and end-all. For some, the results of the exams will provide the pathway to university, college or TAFE; for others it will mark the conclusion of their formal education. However, whatever the result of the exams, nothing is set in stone; there is always the opportunity to forge new paths and engage in further learning.

Some of my greatest learning experiences are a result of the circumstances that I found myself in during day-to-day life events and in conversations I have had with many people I have come across. I encourage all students to remember this as they prepare to embark on a new chapter of their lives, post exams, as they never know in what direction life might lead them. I left school when I was 15 and, as such, never had the opportunity to complete the Higher School Certificate. While I would love the opportunity to continue my schooling, my personal circumstances have made it difficult to do so. However, I never did let this get in the way of what I wanted to achieve later in life. I feel very privileged in my role as the federal member for Paterson. It is a true honour to represent the constituents in the electorate of Paterson.

Many people would probably assume that to become a politician you need a degree or a diploma, and it is true that most politicians have such qualifications. However, I want to remind all students that they can do whatever they put their minds to. My message to the students is this: believe in yourselves with the same faith that you place in your friends and families because you are just as worthy of your own love and encouragement. My best wishes to the students of the St Philip’s Christian College, Medowie Christian School, Hunter Valley Grammar School, Maitland Christian School, Bulahdelah Central School, Tomaree High School, Hunter River High School, Dungog High School, Gloucester High School, Maitland High School, Irrawang High School, St Mary’s Maitland, Maitland Grossman High School and Great Lakes College Tuncurry senior campus—and to all students completing their final exams.

Lastly, as you prepare for the Higher School Certificate exams and for the next chapter of your lives, remember to commit to achieving your own personal best, not someone else’s, and to be content in knowing that you gave it your all. It is all that can be asked or expected of you.