Brendan O'Connor (Gorton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to congratulate the talented and hardworking recipients of this year's Gorton Young Leaders Awards. Since 2009, through these annual awards, I've been acknowledging selected year 12 students from the electorate of Gorton who've demonstrated a commitment to active public leadership within their schools and communities. These awards are an important way to recognise and encourage local young people beyond academic performance and to reward their efforts in supporting their communities. I'm consistently impressed with the remarkable achievements of the prize winners and the remarkable local talent who call Melbourne's west their home.

This year we have 20 Gorton young leader award winners across 10 local schools in the electorate of Gorton: from the Australian International Academy in Caroline Springs, Lubna Lufti and Amaar Yasir; from Lakeview Senior College, Trinity Cachia and Lachlan Martinovic; from Taylors Lakes Secondary College, Laura Santoro and Sam Daniel; from Overnewton Anglican Community College, Pippa Wiggins and Asad Kazmi; from Keilor Downs College, Sage Gobeo and Venkata Harshu Tammina; from the Catholic Regional College Sydenham, Christina Stanford and Caelen Khoo; from Southern Cross Grammar, Prapti Dutta and Oli Cokovski; from Copperfield College, Jazmin Barbaro and Ali Kacmazer; from Springside West Secondary College, Emily Watts and Mananpreet Dhaliwal; and, from Gilson College, Chloe Spiteri and Samuel Mouser.

All of these students have made significant contributions to their schools and to their local communities. Many are school captains and vice captains and represent their school or community officially. Some have done specific work, like running sports and other events, working with disadvantaged communities and helping the elderly, and fundraising for various causes. These are the students that people seek out for assistance and that show leadership in their community. They advocate for and help others. They put others before themselves, and they should be commended for their efforts. I wish all recipients of this award well and the very best for the future.