Andrew Hastie (Canning, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Home Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Last Saturday we hosted the 10th annual Canning Shakespeare Competition, which is a competition I run every year. For 10 years now we have had more than 120 kids step up onto the stage and bring Shakespeare's words to life. When I started this competition a decade ago the goal was simple: to give young people in our community an opportunity that they may not otherwise have. I'm always grateful to Mr Ben Elton AM, the co-writer of Blackadder, Mr Bean and Upstart Crow who was there to launch our first competition.

The reason I do this is that kids in outer metro and regional areas often don't get the same opportunities in the arts as those in the capital cities. I believe in a fair go, which is why we put this competition on. Talent isn't limited to geography, and opportunity should not be limited by it, either. We've had a number of kids come through, engage with the arts, gain performance experience and wrestle with one of the toughest playwrights you can perform. I'm proud to say that we've had one of our winners be accepted into the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, launched from our competition, which is great.

Shakespeare isn't just about theatre. He is part of the Western canon, a body of work that has shaped our civilisation and the way that we speak. If you say phrases like 'to break the ice', you're quoting The Taming of the Shrew,if you say you 'wear your heart on your sleeve', you're quoting Othello, and if you say you are 'in a pickle'—which is what a lot of us say around here—you are quoting The Tempest. Shakespeare continues to shape our language. It also stretches our imagination, sharpens our mind and helps young people to understand the full breadth of the human condition, from our strengths, our flaws to our ambition and, of course, our many failings.

I have seen what happens when young people rise to the challenge. There was a young girl of about 15 who on the weekend was completely scared before she went out onto the stage, but when she went out onto the stage she transformed into someone of great confidence and did a wonderful performance. That's why we do it. This year Henry Hayes from Mandurah Baptist College won the competition with a commanding performance as King Richard from Richard III, and his portrayal of Richard III—complete with hunchback—took us into another word, which is what the judges were looking for. Our runner-up, Shekinah Doherty, from Foundation Christian College, gave a moving performance as Lady Anne, also from Richard III, that was full of poise and emotional depth for someone her age. These performances are a credit not just to Henry and Shekinah but also to their schools, teachers and families who support them.

I acknowledge Steve Capener, the drama teacher from Foundation Christian College, who backs us in every year and prepares his students. I also thank our panel of judges: Shelby Kazakoff, a local drama teacher; Dr Melissa Merchant from Murdoch University; and Dr Tom Heath from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Thank you for backing us in.

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