Dan Repacholi (Hunter, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There's nothing I love more than hearing about young kids in the Hunter smashing their goals. I want to share the story of one incredible young person in my electorate, Tama. Tama once described himself as a 'terror of a kid', but with the help of Mai-Wel, he is making incredible strides forward.

Tama has been working hard to build a bright future for himself. He has earned a variety of essential certifications, including a provisional driver's licence, responsible service of alcohol, responsible conduct of gambling, and first aid and CPR certificates. But his biggest achievement was completing the Singleton Construction Program. This program equipped him with crucial licences: working from heights, working in confined spaces, traffic control combo, and the highly regarded white card certificate. These certifications demonstrate Tama's commitment to expanding his skills and position him strongly for potential employment opportunities in the construction industry, which is a great industry to be in.

Tama's story is a shining example of resilience and growth. It shows that, regardless of what challenges you face, if you work hard, you can be whatever you want to be and whoever you want to be. Good on you, Tama. You've done the work, and you've set yourself up well. I wish you all the success in the future. And thank you to Mai-Wel for helping kids like Tama and all the other kids you help along the way.