Ed Husic (Chifley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

One of the most enjoyable aspects of representing an electorate is meeting our future generation of leaders, represented heartily and solidly by the school students who are active in almost 70 schools in the electorate of Chifley. For instance, last week I encountered a great example of leadership while visiting Richard Johnson Anglican School at Oakhurst where I experienced two vigorous rounds of question time with pressing questions delivered by very bright year 5 and year 6 students. And while meeting the year 5 students I had read to me, then handed to me, two typed one-page letters signed by Leanna, Abhishek, Stephanie, Derek, Erica, Josa, Elijah and Jayden, who were writing on behalf of the school and their fellow students. They were calling for the reinstatement of the national schools program which ended last year.

In a very precise and well-worded letter, the students called for the installation of solar panels at their school, and they had done their sums, arguing that the panels costing $40,000 would pay for themselves within seven to 10 years. The students made the strong point that restarting the program could help harvest natures energy rather than us relying on fossil fuels. One of the paragraphs in the letter summed up the situation perfectly. It read: 'There are lots of benefits of solar panels such as renewable energy, not using fossil fuels, not polluting the environment, and it is good because we will have a better world for future generations.' Wise words indeed, delivered by students who take their future seriously with a typically unselfish sentiment. I committed to inform the House of their efforts and I also intend to follow this matter up with the relevant minister so that the voice of these students is heard.