Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I am getting helped here. Yes, indeed—he played for the Bulldogs. So we are getting some supporters making sure that that is on the Hansard. Corey Payne has also engaged in getting a master's degree at Sydney university, and Corey Payne is running a charity that is there to inspire young people in Western Sydney—inspire them to be the first in their family to go on to higher education. In his company, I had the opportunity to meet Paolo and Elaine. Elaine and Paolo are both from Fairfield High School. Elaine, having studied there, is now enrolled at Sydney University. This is her first year and she is studying law. Paolo is still at Fairfield High School. He has set his sights on engineering at the University of New South Wales.

Our national partnership money at Fairfield High School has worked with Corey Payne—his charity and his leadership—and the school's leadership to create new opportunities for these young Australians. Our national partnership money has facilitated the construction of a dedicated study area, now known to students at that school as the home of the 'nerd herd'. That is something that they wear as a badge of pride: they are students who are studying together with the dream and aspiration of being the first in their family to go to university. If you were trying to boil down into one life story the work of this government and the importance of our plan for Australia's future, it is this: making sure that young people, whether they are in Sydney's west or anywhere else around the nation, get the opportunity to have doors open to them, whether it is to university or to an apprenticeship or traineeship, so they can have the skills they need for their life. It is through that that we will be stronger, smarter and fairer nation. It was great to have some time to spend with these very impressive young Australians.

Mr Lyons interjecting—

Mr Mitchell interjecting—

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