Penny Allman-Payne (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

The Raise Our Voice in parliament campaign is a brilliant initiative that aims to elevate the voices of young people across Australia, giving them a direct voice into the parliament. I'm delighted to have been asked to read out the speeches of several intelligent, passionate and articulate young people from Queensland.

I start with Sadia Shareef, who is 15 years old. Sadia writes:

Racism is a fast-spreading pandemic. 1 in 5 people living in Australia have been subjected to racial discrimination. Personally, I find it difficult to leave the house without thinking I could become a victim of racism. I am aware that I'm not the only one who has these feelings.

We talk about Australia being a multicultural and accepting society, yet there are such high rates of racism across the country. How can we talk about this when there are people being bullied and belittled, for belonging to a certain ethnic group or simply having a different skin colour?

Being different is what makes us unique and allows our talents to shine. It Is the year 2022. It is time for change, I wish that the government can educate children at school about the detrimental effects of racism. Racism is a choice, but never an option! The government should help spread more awareness about Racism in Australia, to allow members of the public to better understand the effects of racism in Australia.

We cannot leave this immense issue hanging. Racism is a reality in Australia, and if we continue to ignore it, the consequences will worsen. How many more people must suffer before we can take action?

The second speech is from Will Vanman, who is 16 years old, and he writes about climate change:

Australia's new parliament must urgently address the impending climate catastrophe. I have been lucky enough to avoid the major impacts of flooding that impacted my electorate earlier this year, however, I know so many that do not share the same luck. It is a completely surreal feeling to walk around your neighbourhood to find houses completely underwater, boats on streets, and people rescuing their pets by canoes. With the current forecast for similar conditions next year, we need to act.

We cannot continue as a country to ignore the impending crisis, brush off the increasing frequency and severity of drought, bushfires, and floods, and continue business as usual. The hard truth from the IPCC is that with our current climate trajectory and goals, we only have a 50% chance of staying below 2.0C.—a risk that my generation of Australians and all future generations do not want to gamble. Before we even reach 2.0C, climate tipping points are threatening to accelerate this process even more. We are coming towards the edge of a crumbling cliff side, knowing it could give away at any moment, yet we are still walking, running, sprinting towards it.

The government needs to step up and take lead as the global leader in the necessary climate revolution. This does not include sneaking in extra profit by continuing to open polluting coal mines, gas explorations and dirty factories. Science tells us that we need a systemic rethink, restructuring and reorienting throughout Australia, including no more coal or gas plants. Real action, not just empty promises.

I talk to many of my fellow students who are pessimistic about our future. Currently, the government is letting us down. Our nation will be on the frontlines of this ecological emergency, and we must respond accordingly. A less than 50% chance of survival is not good enough.

Senate adjourned at 20 : 25