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

Today I will read a speech by Ava Minovski, a 16-year-old resident in my electorate of Goldstein who submitted this speech as part of the Raise Our Voice Australia campaign. Ava writes:

Australia's Parliament is a diverse and ever-evolving landscape; it is a symbol of our Nation's democratic values.

It is essential that as we look towards our future, our Parliamentarians continue to respect the framework that our democracy has provided for more than 120 years.

Mahatma Gandhi once said, 'the future depends on what we do in the present'. With this in mind, continuing to uphold our parliamentary structure with the principles of our democracy will underpin the future stability and success of our Nation. We must ensure any future challenges our great Country meets are addressed with the strong, reliable, and resilient foundations of our Constitution. We should, as a Nation work to elevate our democratic standing on the international stage, in order to continue to be the democracy others aspire to.

While I cannot imagine changes to make Australia better for future generations, I can believe that if we continue to be guided by innovation and knowledge through the voices of our democratically elected representatives, the safety, security, and success of our Nation will endure.

Thank you, Ava, for writing this speech for me.