Joanne Ryan (Lalor, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise this morning to say congratulations and well done to all of the year 12 students completing their education across the community that I represent today. There are 15 educational institutions offering year 12 studies to students across the electorate, and I know across this week and next week there will be celebrations for us all to attend. Facebook is filled with photographs of young people heading off to school for their last day. What was once called 'muck-up day' has changed its name to 'celebration day' to ensure the behaviour fits the traditions without going overboard. I want to congratulate all of those students on this wonderful effort as well as the school communities that have supported them from preschool through to year 12 and the families that have supported them. I give a special congratulations to those young people on their commitment that saw them see it through. There will be graduation ceremonies. There will be last-day celebrations. There will be valedictory dinners. But, for those people completing the VCE, there will also be an examination period. I know they have been working hard to prepare for it over the year and they particularly will be for the next little while. To their families I say: well done. To their parents I say: keep them well watered and fed over these next few weeks to see them through to the end.

But mostly I want to thank the committed teachers in the electorate of Lalor for the work they have done, from kindergarten all the way through to year 12. I want to thank them for their work and commitment and for the hours they do beyond what is required of them and for the times they sit with students through difficult times, hold them up and push them out the door. For all of the things that they've done for our students, I want to say a very, very big thankyou. I know lots of mums are sharing photographs and waking up this week and going, 'Where have the years gone?' when they look at their young people as they march out the door in their uniform for the last time.

I also want to give a special shout-out today to somebody else who woke up in my community this morning and said to herself, 'Where have the years gone?' And that's my mum, who turned 90 today. I have spoken to her this morning and she said to me, 'I just can't believe I could possibly be 90.' To my mum, I say: lots of love. I wish I was home in Werribee with you. I'll see you on Friday. I'm looking forward to the celebrations with the family on Sunday. I'm so proud to have had you as my mum for my lifetime and I know all of the lives you've impacted on, including many young people in our community. Thank you.