Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week I had the opportunity to visit three schools in my electorate. We can really get an insight into what's being discussed at home and in the classroom when you speak to school students. The first school that I met with, in the lead-up to the budget, was Axedale Primary School. I was asked questions about inflation, which I never expected to get at a primary school, but I did from the good students of Axedale. When I asked them what their priority would be if they were Prime Minister, the key issue they raised was tackling homelessness. They also raised the need to have a fairer water policy. They also raised the need for us to do something about keeping the cost of things down, hence the question about inflation.

When I went to Strathfieldsaye Primary School the students there said to me that they really want to see our government do something about vaping. Even primary school students are calling on us to do something about vaping. I was really proud to say that our government is—that our health minister has announced a plan for us to do something about vaping.

When I went to Girton Grammar—and their questions went on for quite some time—they said they wanted us to focus on vaping, again, and do something about homelessness. They also want to see the federal government partnering with local and state governments to see funding going to infrastructure and to make sure that the regions get their fair share of infrastructure and don't miss out.