Bernie Ripoll (Oxley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The words I am about to read were prepared by Tamara Gibbs, of St Saviour’s College Toowoomba, Queensland, who is 16 years old and in year 12, and Corey Colbung, from Katanning Senior High, Katanning, Western Australia, who is 15 years old. They are both part of ‘Learn Earn Legend’ They wrote:

The learn earn legend is a program for Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander people to come to parliment house and experience life in political office, Minister for employment participation and to join in other activities.

The program includes activities which will improve young people’s civics education, providing a valuable first hand opportunity for Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander students and help set out life goals from their experience here at parliment house.

Also a goal of the program is to help Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander students to expand their horizons about what job opportunities exist, as they consider their future careers.

We have 100 students from all across Australia to be a part of the program, which is the first time this program has been run.

We hope the success of this years students will be such that when other students come will be an even greater experience for them.

Remember: stay at school, get that job and be a legend.

They are the words that they wrote for me. I asked them to do this. I thought it was a great way to pay tribute to these two fine young people who have come to this place and who really want to make something of themselves and their lives.

Honourable Members:

Hear, hear!

Bernie Ripoll (Oxley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They are both really active and confident young people who have so much to offer. I am really proud to have had them spend the day with me in my office and with my staff and they will be back again tomorrow. While we do not, in this place, get as much time as we would like to spend with them individually, the little bit of time that we did have together today was absolutely fabulous. They have written an absolutely wonderful speech. (Time expired)