Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Action, Environment and Heritage) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I wish to raise two matters with the House. The first is in relation to the issue of literacy, in particular, early childhood literacy within the Hastings region of my electorate of Flinders. Last year the problem was diagnosed by the 2009 Australian Early Development Index. Very simply, the index found that young children beginning school in Hastings at primary level had one of the highest proportions in the state of poor language development. What this means in real terms is that teachers found that many prep children—beautiful young children—were not able to properly articulate, to ask a question or, in some cases, to indicate curiosity or wonderment about the world. These things have a real impact on their ability to learn, to thrive, to prosper, to develop and to grow.

The solution is very clear. It is not the solution to everything, but there is a clear, local solution. Firstly, the Linking Schools and Early Years program is a program which I will support and push, in conjunction with the Hastings Rotary Club. The Hastings Rotary Club has translated that at a local level to a Reading for Life program in all Hastings primary schools. In practice, that means that one-on-one volunteers, mostly elderly—people who have been professionals—will work for 45 minutes for between 10 and 15 weeks. Secondly, we have managed to secure some funding, of $3,000, through the Myer foundation and through BlueScope, of almost $3,000. Thirdly, I now call on volunteers from within the electorate of Flinders—from within the Hastings, Somerville, Balnarring, Crib Point, Bittern and Somers area—to be part of this tremendous program for kids. In short, the Reading for Life program, sponsored by people in the Hastings Rotary club such as Jeff Harvey, is a wonderful program.

The second thing I want to mention briefly is the valedictory speech tonight by my friend and colleague Pat Farmer. Pat is one of my closest friends not just in the parliament but in life. I am tremendously sad that he is leaving the parliament. I am disappointed that he lost his preselection, but he is very philosophical. Tonight he will announce a great step forward in his own life. I want to acknowledge that he is one of the most noble, decent, honest and honourable people I have ever had the fortune to meet. I wish him luck. I will miss his companionship on our running adventures. He has slightly bigger projects, but he is a great man with a mighty heart and an honest character. It has been a pleasure to be a close friend of his. (Time expired)