Alicia Payne (Canberra, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last year I was contacted by Phil Coe, an economics teacher from St Clare's College in Griffith. He wanted to bring his economics class up to parliament to watch the Treasurer deliver his budget speech. This year Phil asked me if the class could again come up to parliament to see the Treasurer deliver the speech and also if I could come and meet with the students in the lead-up to the budget. It was really inspiring to talk to these young women and take their questions about the budget and the way our government makes choices on what to spend money on, particularly at a time when we are seeing the rate of women studying economics falling further and further behind that of men. As I say, it was really inspiring to meet this group of young women. I want to congratulate Phil on the way that he has helped his students to engage with the parliament and with the budget, which is a particular, special opportunity for students in Canberra, with such good access to the parliament, when they take that up.

This experience gave me an idea. I wanted to allow more students in Canberra to come and be part of the budget and see the budget delivered, so I ran a speech competition for year 11 and year 12 students to give their vision—what they would deliver—if they were the Treasurer, in 90 seconds. I was pleased to receive many excellent entries to that competition. Victor Ni, a year 11 student at Canberra Grammar School, won the competition, and I will share the speech in a moment. Angela Xie from Canberra Grammar School, and Lachlan Li, from Telopea Park high were runners up in the competition. All three students came up to parliament on budget night and were able to watch the Treasurer deliver his speech. I'm pleased to share with you the excellent speech by Victor:

I address you with unwavering conviction about the transformative power of youth in our political landscape, and the importance of education in our lives.

Quality education should not depend on the postcode in which a child lives or the size of their parents' bank account.

Every child deserves access to well-funded schools, well-trained teachers and a curriculum that prepares them for the challenges of the modern world.

We must continue to allocate sufficient funding to bridge the gap in resources between schools in different areas, ensuring that every student has access to the tools they need to thrive.

This includes providing well-trained teachers who are supported in their professional development and empowered to inspire and educate our youth effectively.

By prioritising education, we can break down barriers that hinder youth participation in politics, ensuring their voices are not just heard but amplified.

From climate change to social justice, we can embrace their dynamism, innovation and work hand in hand to tackle global issues.

Together, let us forge a future where every young Australian, regardless of background, has access to quality education and the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to our nation.

Congratulations, Victor.