Aaron Violi (Casey, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In December, I had the honour of attending Upwey South Primary School to present a special award. Grade 6 student Lucy is the Victorian state winner of one of the Anzac Day Schools' Awards, national awards that recognise the work of school students and teachers who engage with veterans and honour our wartime history.

Lucy wrote a piece about the role of peacekeepers, focusing on how peacekeeping has changed over the years to become inclusive of females. To inform her submission, Lucy interviewed Major Lyndsay Freeman, who is part of the Australian Defence Force peace operations. They spoke when Major Freeman was deployed overseas as a peacekeeper with the United Nations.

I would like to share a key message of Lucy's winning submission:

I would like all girls, now and into the future, to grow up knowing they can be whatever they want. There shouldn't be a difference between genders, anyone can do anything.

To top off the day, Lucy was also announced as one of the school captains at the end of the award ceremony. Well done, Lucy. Keep up the great work.

On a similar theme, I would like to acknowledge in the gallery my friend Rita Anwari, who is part of the Women Empowerment and Leadership group. She is doing amazing work to support women in Afghanistan. It was great to hear her today, and I'll keep supporting her in the work she does to support women in Afghanistan. It's great to have you here, Rita.