Mike Freelander (Macarthur, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a very difficult and confusing time for all of us. There are many loud voices being heard around the country. One voice that we don't hear very often is the voice of young people. I'm very pleased to read in parliament today the speech from a young man from South Western Sydney, 14-year-old Sabri Sabri, and his vision for our future. It's very important that we do not just pay lip-service to our young people but that we listen to their voices and do what we can to make sure they fulfil their potential. Sabri is a bright and forward-thinking 14-year-old from South Western Sydney, and this is his speech:

Australia needs to be well harnessed for our future mainly when we are seeing enhanced technology being released every year from phones to air conditioners.

I would love to see big retailers manufacture technology in Australia it will boost our economy and our job growth and also we will need to embrace and create new master piece technologies, such as artificial intelligence and biotechnology in Australian industries, and reduce emissions to maintain a globally competitive equal quality lifestyle for our citizens.

With the nations population expected to rise we need to stand shoulder to shoulder and boost infrastructure and services to help create more growth and strengthen our economy.

If this is looked upon it could result in a financially well harnessed and highly-skilled dynamical enhanced Australian future.

That's a great speech, Sabri, and who could argue with your thoughts?

It's very important, as I've said, that we listen to the voices of our young people. I don't believe they have been heard with any sufficient force during the pandemic, and they are the ones whose futures we need to make sure will be as prosperous and as dynamic as ours have been. Our young people need to be supported in a whole range of ways: better technology, vocational education in schools. Vocational education hubs in every high school in the country would be something that would be very important for our young people. Better access to high-technology university courses for all concerned would be another great advantage to our young people. Listening to their voices about things like housing affordability and health care would again be very important. We are not listening to our young people, and it's very important that we do listen to them and act on what they want.

I'm very proud to be part of the Raise Our Voice in Parliament's campaign for Australia's youth. It's very important that we continue to listen to our young people and listen to what their wants and vision for the future are.