Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

Today, as part of the Raise Our Voice in Parliament week, I'm going to read a speech sent to me by a 12-year-old student from Charles Weston School, in Coombs, named Satjit.

Satjit writes: 'Today, I'm writing about a very important topic that's been a problem for a long time: gender inequality. It is no secret that gender inequality is still a widespread issue in many parts of the world, and I firmly believe that this is a problem that should not exist in the next 10 years.

Hi, my name is Satjit. I'm 12 years old, and I would love for this to go to parliament. Women and men should have equal opportunities in all aspects of life, including education, career advancement and leadership roles. It is disheartening to see that in many places women are still struggling to attain the same rights and privileges as their male counterparts. This is not just a women's issue; it's a human rights issue.

I strongly believe that a good way of creating peace and gender equality is, first, that all women working in any job should have the same pay as the males in the same area of expertise—also, that all women in uni or still in school or just in education should get the same education as males. Gender equality is not just a dream. It is a must that gender equality is real and not just a dream. Let's work together to make this dream a reality.'

Thank you very much, Satjit, for writing on this important topic. With writing like that, I know we will reach gender equality one day, and I look forward to seeing what you go on to achieve in the future.