Wendy Askew (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Standing up in front of people and talking, whether it is for a job interview, lecture or conference, or even here in this chamber, can be daunting. The speaker must be calm, confident and articulate. For some, though, these skills do not come easily. Speaking well can make or break a situation, and this skill is becoming increasingly important for employers when evaluating potential employees on soft skills like leadership, communication and problem solving. To this end, I would like to highlight the work of Tasmania Rostrum, which works with people of all ages in my home state to improve their public speaking skills. They are high school and university students, employees, retirees, people for whom English is a second language and even aspiring politicians, all who want to improve their ability to communicate with others. There are seven Rostrum clubs in Tasmania—three in Hobart, two in Launceston and two in Burnie. They are part of Rostrum Australia, an association of 95 public speaking clubs around the country that was founded in 1930.

Earlier this year, two young Tasmanians competed in the 2022 Rostrum Voice of Youth national final in Sydney. Isabel Adams from the Friends' School in Hobart was a junior finalist, while Oscar Tiernan from Launceston College competed in the senior section and was named runner-up. The Voice of Youth competition attracts more than 3,000 students every year from over 500 schools, so Oscar's achievement is an incredible result. Well done, Oscar. Isabel and Oscar illustrate how Tasmania is punching above its weight in this area. Every human being needs to communicate and be understood. Our ability to speak clearly and with confidence is essential for day-to-day conversation and interaction. If you have the opportunity to become part of a club or a community like Rostrum that teaches you a valuable life skill, no matter your age, then it's an opportunity worth pursuing.