Geoff Lyons (Bass, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise in the House today to pay recognition to a student in my electorate of Bass, Jackson Pinner. Last year, 15-year-old Jackson was travelling to Lilydale District School, 15 minutes outside Launceston, one morning on the regular school bus when the bus came across a car that had run off the road and crashed into a tree. The bus stopped and Jackson, a member of the local volunteer fire service, quickly assessed the situation. He spent the next 30 or 40 minutes alone with the injured driver. The paramedics then took over and took the driver to hospital. Jackson arrived late to school, checked in with the office, phoned his mum and then went on with his day like any other.

Six weeks later the Principal Greg Morgan, and a fine principal I might add, received a phone call from the recuperating driver who said the accident occurred on his way home from a night shift, where he is a nurse, when he fell asleep at the wheel. He commended Jackson for the quality of his care while they waited together for the ambulance. He said Jackson had acted in a calm, reassuring manner and made sure that his head and neck remained immobilised. He was so impressed by Jackson that he offered him a gift which was presented at a school assembly. Not only was Jackson's deed that day a great example of courage, competence and care to his peers, but to all adults in the community as well. Well done, Jackson.