Tania Lawrence (Hasluck, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

At the outset, I want to acknowledge the start of the 2026 school year for students and their families and for the teachers and school staff right across Australia and especially back home in Hasluck. The beginning of the school year is always a time of energy and optimism—from new students nervously holding their parents' hands, to year 12s starting to think about life beyond school.

Public schools sit at the heart of Hasluck. They serve families in fast-growing suburbs such as Ellenbrook, Brabham and Aveley, as well as our long-established communities around Noranda, Bassendean, Ashfield and Midland. They reflect the diversity of our electorate, culturally, socially and economically. And they do so with professionalism, and pride and care in all that they do. Schools such as Ellenbrook Secondary College and Aveley Secondary College are supporting students in rapidly-growing areas, offering academic pathways, alongside vocational education and training that helps our students prepare for work and further study and apprenticeships.

In Ellenbrook, too, we now have a university study hub, to help bridge the gap for students living far from universities. I have to say that, on visiting, it is always full, as students are loving that collegiate atmosphere and being able to study when they're not on campus.

Schools like Governor Stirling Senior High School, Moorditj Noongar Community College and Hampton Senior High School offer specialist focus areas in the arts and sports, helping students thrive through creativity and teamwork and discipline, right from tiny tots all the way through to year 12. At the primary level, especially, at schools such as Midvale Primary School and Brabham Primary School, their focus on early literacy and numeracy and student wellbeing and community engagement lays the foundation for lifelong learning and for really upstanding citizens.

This is the context in which the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement matters so deeply. This agreement represents the largest Commonwealth investment in public schools by any Australian government, and it is tied to reforms that focus squarely on lifting student outcomes. It recognises that fairness in education means funding schools according to need and giving them the certainty to plan, invest and innovate for the long term. The agreement lifts the funding to 100 per cent of the schooling resource standard. It becomes another proud Labor legacy.

Of course, funding alone doesn't educate students; teachers do. That is why this motion rightly acknowledges the vital role of teachers and the national effort underway to address workforce shortages. Teachers in Hasluck give of themselves every day. They are educators, mentors, role models and trusted adults for young people navigating an increasingly complex world. It's encouraging to see more Australians choosing to study teaching, supported by measures such as our paid teaching practicums, teaching scholarships and our stronger initial teacher education. These initiatives help ensure that more people can enter the profession, complete their training and stay, benefiting students and school communities alike.

The motion also recognises the importance of preventing and responding to bullying in schools. Of course, this is an issue that families and educators take seriously, and it's part of the reason we introduced the social media ban for under-16s. Many Hasluck schools already invest heavily in wellbeing teams, pastoral-care programs and inclusive school cultures, working hand in hand with parents and the community more broadly. The national coordination strengthens this work and ensures our schools are getting the support they need to keep students safe.

As the 2026 year unfolds, public schools across Hasluck will continue to nurture curiosity, resilience and ambition in our young people, right alongside those private educational institutions that are very much part of our fabric. Our support acknowledges the dedication of teachers, leaders and support staff; the trust of families; and a shared belief that every child deserves a fair go. When I visit schools—from Cyril Jackson, looking at their intensive English language centre; or Woodbridge Primary School and their extraordinary art exhibitions and dance programs; Guildford Grammar School, with their absolutely magnificent cohort of students, that are moving particularly into pathways around academia; to our Australian Islamic College at Henley Brook—I see we have got a variety and diversity of schools to support students' needs and their aspirations for the future.

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