Zoe Daniel (Goldstein, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week I had the honour of presenting a young constituent with the Goldstein medal. The Goldstein medal recognises young leaders who demonstrate Vida Goldstein's values of leadership, of community service to community and respect of peers.

These are traits that Bianca Adler, a year 9 student, demonstrated when becoming one of the youngest people ever to climb Mount Aconcagua over summer. At a height of 6,961 metres, it's the highest mountain in the Andes and the highest mountain outside of the Himalayas. To achieve this, Bianca trained for over a year, including by climbing the almost 6,000-metre Pokalde Peak in Nepal in September and Mont Blanc in July. For reference, Australia's highest peak, Mount Kosciuszko, is 2,228 metres. To prepare for the summit, Bianca spent three weeks in a small tent to gradually climb the mountain and acclimatise. The summit involved 13 hours of climbing in minus-35-degree temperatures, facing the real threat of frostbite. Bianca made it to the summit and back down safely, much to the relief of her parents. When I met Bianca to discuss her remarkable achievement, we talked about how pushing boundaries can inspire others, especially other girls and women. Thank you, Bianca, for inspiring me to continue to push my own limits.