Zoe McKenzie (Flinders, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health) Share this | Hansard source

Civics and citizenship might be in the national curriculum, but in many schools across the country these barely get a look-in. In the most recent National Assessment Program report from 2024 on civics and citizenship, only 43 per cent of year 6 students were found to be at or above the proficient standard and, more concerningly, only 28 per cent of year 10 students met the proficient standard. In short, most Australians—kids and adults alike—don't have a solid grasp of how our system of government actually works. Many don't realise, for example, that states run things like health and education for the most part, while the federal government looks after defence, foreign affairs, social services like pensions and veteran support, and controls the tax system, which allows the federal government to play a role in enabling funding in traditional state domains.

In Flinders we are lucky to have so many schools that do allow their students to hear from and question their local members of parliament about all things democracy and Australia's political system. I've been running what I like to call democracy classes in schools—primary and secondary, government and independent—around my electorate, inspired by a visit of the Speaker some time ago when he joined me at Crib Point primary. What I've found is striking. There's a real untapped passion for civics and a genuine curiosity about how the laws that shape our lives are made.

Recently, after speaking with a class, I received an email from one of the students. The student's words reminded me of why this work matters so much and why I'm determined to bring non-partisan, practical lessons on how government works to as many young people in Flinders as I can. Here's how that email went:

I would like to extend a very sincere thank you for visiting us to speak about the Australian government and for taking time to answer our questions.

I am sure you will receive an email from our College Council President, but I wanted to take the opportunity to personally send you a note of appreciation. I was particularly impressed by the way you engaged with our questions; your thoughtful and clear responses stood out to me, especially when compared to how politicians are often perceived and several other politicians that I have spoke to in our community.

Although I do not usually follow politics very closely, I found myself genuinely interested in the discussion. Your visit has encouraged me to pay closer attention to these issues and to think more deeply about the role government plays in daily life. Thank you for answering my question about sourcing reliable information in a very technology-heavy world. I was also excited to hear about your idea of beginning a youth forum to hear from students and other young people on the peninsula. I would love to express my interest in being involved with this initiative, as I believe it would be a valuable opportunity for students to engage with government and community matters more actively.

Although I am coming to the conclusion on my secondary schooling, I would like to continue being active in my community and school. I think it would valuable to run such a forum at Dromana College, annually or biannually to further the recognition of youth voice in government settings. I would love to hear your thoughts on this matter too.

Thank you again for making the effort to come and speak with us despite your busy schedule, it meant a lot to our school community and to me personally.

In a time when misinformation spreads much faster than the truth, civics education is our best defence. It helps young people test claims made by political actors against the knowledge they have about how government works and engage in debate with more evidence and more respect for each other, as well as for us as politicians.

For young Mornington Peninsula residents especially, these classes I've been running turn democracy from something distant and misunderstood into something real, relevant and easily applicable. The lesson from these classes is simple: you have a choice and a vote, and what you do with it matters. At the end of the day, democracy isn't a spectator sport. It requires citizens, including our youngest and newest voters, to engage with it, and that begins in the classroom.

To that may I add my personal congratulations to the Speaker for the initiative that he announced today, which is the National Youth Parliament 2026. I have been involved in earlier youth parliaments, both with the Speaker and with the Y. Now they are brought together to provide one powerhouse of civics education. One student will come here and stand in my shoes. I put up a video about it today, with all the different shoes I have in my office; you can pick a pair to wear. It will be deeply important for the right person to express interest and to know that you will come here, stand in our shoes and represent Flinders, as I do—but with the view of a 15- or 16-year-old—and tell us what we need to understand. The world in which you are growing up is completely different from the one in which we've grown up. Technology has an impact on how you see the world and, indeed, how you will prosper, advance and contribute to the world ahead of you. Coming to Canberra and standing in the shoes of your parliamentarian is an extraordinary opportunity to shape the way we think and to drive your country to greater prosperity.

See this speech in context