Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's not often that you get to talk about the power of poo in Parliament House, but thanks to the students at Yarra Primary School that's exactly what I'm going to do. In September this year I was delighted to visit Yarra Primary School to hear from the students about the Kids Teaching Kids program, a model that inspires young people to learn and care for their local environment by empowering students to take responsibility for their own learning. The students across years 3 to 6 showed me the presentations they were going to deliver to students from other schools. One notable project was about the power of poo, which discussed the sustainability benefits of human waste, while other students had studied the benefits of renewable energy. I think some of the students understood renewable energy better than some of the people in this parliament.

I was also lucky enough to tour their kitchen garden, which featured an impressive outdoor pizza oven, plenty of vegetables and a composting system. I was so impressed by their passion and understanding. These students are not only relishing the opportunity to learn about sustainability but also promoting those values in the school community. I congratulate the students who presented and participated in the Kids Teaching Kids Program. I'm sure that the audience were as impressed with their presentations as I was. I also want to congratulate the principal, teachers and staff of Yarra Primary School on the achievements of their students. I thank them for inviting me to visit and for allowing me to brag about their achievements in this place.