Russell Matheson (Macarthur, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to publicly commend a new program which I believe will provide great opportunities for young people living in my electorate. Wests Tigers rugby league club has developed a learning centre in Leumeah which they call The Lair, aimed at inspiring local children to work hard to reach their goals. The concept of The Lair was inspired by the NRL all-stars game which is played each year on the Gold Coast to promote the Close the Gap campaign. The Campbelltown area, which is one of Wests Tigers traditional heartland suburbs, has a high Aboriginal population, and the Australian Human Rights Commission Close the Gap campaign has inspired the club to help the community. The idea of the centre is to bring students out of the traditional school environment into a place where they can relax and prosper to their full potential.

I attended the opening of the centre last week, and it was great to see the Wests Tigers embracing our local community and our Aboriginal children. Aboriginal elder Steve Williams, fondly known to Campbelltown locals as Uncle Steve, conducted a smoking ceremony outside the new centre. Students with Indigenous backgrounds identified by their high schools will be eligible to attend the centre. The students might be those who are struggling at school and need extra help or those who are prospering and need a little extra help to reach their full potential. Students will visit the centre after school for help with any of their educational needs. They can also undergo sessions which may include goal setting, time management in exams and essay structuring.

At the opening I met students from Airds High School, who were very excited about the centre and the opportunities it offered. It is great to see local kids get involved in sport, but it is even better to know that they will be encouraged by their sporting heroes to focus on their education and enjoy their learning experiences at the centre. Head coach Tim Sheens, captain Robbie Farah and former Wests Tigers legend John Skandalis helped open the new learning centre last week. Many Wests Tigers players have come from challenging backgrounds—they have had to battle adversity to get to where they are today. These players will be a massive influence for the students who attend the centre by mentoring them and keeping them on track with their goals. Throughout this process Wests Tigers have been in constant consultation with Campbelltown City Council and the New South Wales Department of Education and Training to develop a program to match the needs of the community.

Wests Tigers also hope to implement the school to work transition program that has been implemented at other NRL clubs. This program will help students stay on track for their final years of school and provide them with pathways into work and further education placements. The Lair has been set up in a room owned by Western Suburbs League Club, Campbelltown, with many generous sponsors and supporters. John F. Kennedy once said, 'Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other,' and I believe this centre will be an example of that. Wests Tigers CEO Steve Humphreys and his team are to be congratulated for having the vision, the drive and the commitment to develop this learning centre. This is what leadership is all about, and I am sure many young people in the Macarthur region are going to benefit from this initiative.

I am proud to say that the federal coalition has always taken a keen interest in the development of Australia's young people. This centre, along with our federal strategies, will become an important tool in the development of our young men and women in the Macarthur region. I am sure all the sponsors and the Wests Campbelltown league club are keen to see the results not only in the local community but on the paddock in Wests Tigers jerseys one day.

Peter Slipper (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I call the Hon. Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, the honourable member for McMahon, and I thank him for gracing the Main Committee with his presence.