Bridget Archer (Bass, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today on behalf of young people in Bass to share their speeches on issues they care about, as part of the Raise Our Voice in Parliament campaign, which aims to amplify youth voices and foster stronger relationships between young people and their elected representatives, empowering them to actively shape the nation's future. Today, I'd like to share speeches submitted by Jack, Lachlan and Jarrah in their own words.

Jack says:

My name is Jack, a 16 year old living under the BASS electorate in Launceston, Tasmania.

The topic I would like to raise today is that surrounding youth engagement in sport. From a very young age, I have had the benefit of being an enthusiastic participant across a wide range of excellent sporting opportunities.

However, many of my peers are not so inclined in this area. I believe that this can be linked to the promotion of physical activity across early years of education. While including team-oriented and individual sports in P.E lessons appeals to those who are engaged, it doesn't do much to inspire others to play their role and to build their interest.

I believe, and speaking from the experiences of others, that greater inclusion of team-building exercises goes a long way to building connections among young people as well as encouraging their engagement in the activity.

I have been lucky enough to have experienced the mental and physical health benefits that sport can provide, and as an ambassador for young people in my community, I would wish these benefits to all my peers.

Personally, I believe that this can be achieved through the inclusion of a greater range of these team-building activities into school-based P.E lessons, and even through the promotion of more community-based opportunities to appeal to this same age bracket.

In summary, I believe that greater youth engagement in sport would help young people to build their confidence and connections with those around them, as well as building positive mental and physical benefits.

Thank you for your time.

Lachlan says:

We stand here today on the precipice of the future. Of change. Of reform. I write this now in fear for our future, our dreams. We cannot, as a country that prides itself on its equality and opportunities, continue to delude ourselves into believing that that is the case. Not when such a disparity stands regarding our most vital of socioeconomic factors: our education.

A report from the Australian Education Union found that, based on the mandated minimum Schooling Resource Standard, private schools were overfunded by over $800 million and public schools hit with a shortfall of $4.5 billion just last year. And, in the decade since the Gonski Review Australian governments have increased funding to private schools at twice the rate of public schools.

It is this disparity that pushes us away, from opportunities, from our dreams, and from each other; pitting public and private schools against each other. It is for these reasons that, whenever we do well, it is despite the fact we are a public school. Now, public school is no longer a path to a better future, but a symbol for the normalisation of generational inequality.

The time to worry about the future can only be now. And the time for change is within our very grasp.

Jarrah says:

We, the youth of Australia, have accepted that we will most likely never own a house. We have accepted that we will always have to struggle to pay our bills. We have accepted that we will have to sit by and watch as Woolworths and Coles jack up their prices higher and higher every few months. We should not have to accept this.

The cost-of-living crisis impacts millions of Australians from all across the country, and it is starting to feel like nobody really cares. Students are struggling to get an education because of the cost of petrol, or busses, or parking. People getting more stressed, anxious, and depressed, because of the stresses of trying to stay afloat in our economy.

People are skipping meals because they just paid their car registration and cannot afford to eat that day. Some people have to go to sleep for dinner. More people are experiencing homelessness in our country than ever before. Australia's mental and physical wellbeing is under dire threat, and we feel like there is nothing that we, as citizens, can do about it.

What we need is adequate, safe government housing. We need subsidised transport and parking. We need more major supermarket chains to help break the duopoly of Woolworths and Coles. We need to introduce more community gardens to assist in providing safe and healthy food to all Australians. This is not something that only affects a small percentage of the population. This is something you should care about because this impacts everyone, including you.

Thank you, Jack, Lachlan and Jarrah, for sharing your speeches with me. I am proud to have delivered them for you in the House of Representatives today.