Renee Coffey (Griffith, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

While we can discuss appropriation bills in terms of numbers, line items and balance sheets, at the heart they're about our national priorities. They tell us what we value, what we are prepared to build and what kind of country we want to be.

For me, one of the clearest tests of any spending is whether it strengthens the foundations of our democracy. Democracy itself is not self-sustaining. It does not run on inertia nor does it endure simply because we inherited it. It depends on people understanding it, trusting in it and believing that they have a place in it. In Griffith, we see that every day. We see it in our schools, in our community halls, in the questions people ask at local forums and in the care people take before they cast a vote. We see it in the pride young people feel when they first learn how a bill becomes law, and we see it when local families want their children to know not just what Australia is but how Australia works. That's why I want to speak today about civics education, media literacy and democratic participation. If we want a stronger democracy, we must invest in people's capacity to take part in it.

In my first speech to this place, I spoke about the importance of civics education and media literacy in upholding our democracy. Australia is rightly proud of our compulsory voting. It is one of the great strengths of our democratic system. But compulsory voting on its own is not enough. Asking people to vote is not the same as equipping them to participate fully, confidently and critically. As the chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters, the member for Bennelong said when releasing the From Classroom to Community report that all Australians need to be informed to participate in our democracy and elections, particularly at a time of rising disengagement, distrust and misinformation.'

That same report found that the quality of formal civics education varies considerably across jurisdictions and across schools, and the warning signs are clear. The 2024 national assessment program report from the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, ACARA, showed that 43 per cent of year 6 students and 28 per cent of year 10 students reached the proficient standards in civics and citizenship. That's down from 53 per cent and 38 per cent respectively in 2019, and the results were described as the lowest since the assessment began in 2004.

The report also showed a decline in participation in school based civics activities, especially at year 10 level, with the largest drop in excursions to parliaments and law courts. That should concern all of us, and it is not because young people don't care. The same ACARA material makes it clear that students continue to value learning about our civics and their institutions. The problem is the gap between interest and access, between concern and understanding, and between wanting to participate and being shown how.

An important scheme in place to support this work is the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate, PACER. The PACER program provides financial assistance to support students' on-site learning about national, democratic, historical and cultural institutions here in Canberra. That matters, because educational opportunity should not depend on a school's postcode or budget. In 2023, rebates for students from disadvantaged areas increased significantly, with rebates of up to $1,275 per student available depending on the distance travelled. That increased support has also been extended through 2026 and 2027. Programs like PACER help more young Australians experience our national institutions first-hand, and that kind of access can leave a lasting impression.

If we want stronger democratic engagement, we cannot stop at classroom learning. Participation also has to be practised. Young people need to build confidence in democracy, and they do that when they are given genuine opportunities to take part, to speak, to contribute and to be taken seriously. That's why the National Youth Parliament is so important and such a fantastic new initiative that will be run for the first time later this year. Bringing together one person from each electorate across Australia to take part in a hands-on parliamentary program is exactly the kind of investment we should be making. It will gives young Australians a chance to experience the processes of parliament directly, to see how ideas are debated, how legislation is considered and how representation works in practice. Just as importantly, it will show them that democracy is not something done to them; it is something that they can help shape. Programs like this can be life-changing. They can open the door for future leadership, community advocacy, public service or simply a deeper sense of civic confidence.

Constituents often ask me when I first imagined that I might one day represent our community here in Canberra. The truth is I had not really thought about it until I visited this place as a school student in 1999 and had a chance to meet one of my absolute heroes, former Democrat Senator Natasha Stott Despoja. Experiences like that stay with you. They can turn parliament from something distant and abstract into something real, human and possible.

The National Youth Forum is another important part of this work. Held for the first time last year by the Minister for Youth, the forum creates space for young people to engage directly with government policy questions and decision-makers. It sends a simple but powerful message: young Australians are not just the subjects of policies; they are stakeholders in it. I am proud that the Albanese Labor government reinstated funding for this program after it was discontinued under the previous coalition government.

If we are serious about participation, access has to be broad and inclusive. Democracy is its healthiest when pathways into public life are open to young people from all backgrounds, all communities and all parts of this wonderful country. That's why the Work Exposure in Government program, the WEX program, matters. Initiated by a former Labor government and the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation in 2010, the WEX program provides Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students with a hands-on experience and knowledge about career pathways in the Australian government. It helps young people see that there is a place for them in public institutions, in policy, in leadership and in service. That is powerful, because representation is not only about who sits in this chamber but also about who can imagine themselves contributing to the institutions that shape our country. Programs like WEX help make that possible. They widen the pipeline, broaden aspiration, create opportunity and strengthen democracy by ensuring more young Australians can see themselves reflected in the systems that govern them. It was great to meet students Bridget and Harmony from Townsville late last year and answer their questions about being in parliament, and also to catch up with Dwayne, one of the organisers, and Uncle Benny, who has been a mentor in the program for so many years. I was so proud to have been involved with the first WEX program and it is great to now be involved as a parliamentarian.

But civics education is not only about bringing students to Canberra; it's also about bringing parliament to students. It is strongest when it is practical, when students can see institutions up close, ask questions directly and understand that democracy is not remote or inaccessible. That's why the Parliament in Schools program, run by the Speaker of the House alongside the APH Flag Roadshow, is such an important initiative. Across these programs, the Speaker works with local members to visit schools and make civics education accessible to more students, especially those who cannot visit Canberra. Since February last year, the program has already reached more than 145 schools across Australia, including regional and remote schools. The member for Riverina was just discussing how much he enjoyed the visit by the Speaker to a school in his electorate. If a young person cannot get to Canberra, then taking parliament into schools and communities is a practical and meaningful way to close that gap.

Last September I was proud also to host the Parliament in Schools and APH Flag Roadshow at Cooperoo State School with the Speaker of the House. It was a terrific opportunity for local students to engage directly with our democracy in a way that was hands-on, tangible and memorable. Students learned about Federation, the parliament and the democratic process, not in the abstract but in their own school community. They had a chance to ask questions, to take part directly and to connect those lessons to the symbols and institutions that shape our national life. That is what good civics education should do. It should not leave students feeling that parliament is a faraway building occupied by other people; it should help them see that our democracy belongs to them too. When a student can ask the Speaker a question in their own classroom and when the Australian Parliament House flag is brought onto their school oval for us as the starting point for broader conversations about citizenship, something shifts. Parliament becomes less distant, politics becomes less intimidating, and public life becomes something that they can imagine themselves participating in.

Programs like these help young people understand that democracy is not only about election day; it's about participation, responsibility, respect and shared ownership of our public life. They create moments that can begin a much deeper connection to civic life. I also want to acknowledge the extraordinary passion and commitment of the Speaker of the House that he has shown in delivering these programs in electorates right across the country, and to thank him for his tireless work in ensuring our next generation has the skills, tools and knowledge to lead us through the challenges ahead.

In Griffith, we have a strong example of what democratic education can look like when it's practical, engaging and built for the real world. Squiz Kids is a homegrown Griffith story and one I am so proud to talk about. It's smart, accessible, age-appropriate journalism for young people. It takes the news seriously, and it takes children seriously too. If we want the next generation to value democracy, we need to invite them into it early. We need to help them build the habit of asking questions and teach them how to sort fact from spin, evidence from assertion and reporting from rumour. Programs like Squiz Kids and their Newshounds podcast do exactly that. They make big national and global events understandable without talking down to children. They foster curiosity, build context and show young people that being informed is not intimidating but empowering. Squiz Kids is also running a 'PM for a Day' competition right now, which asks Australian children aged seven to 13 to consider what would be the one thing they would do to make Australia a better place. The winning student and their parent or guardian will travel to Canberra later this month, which will include a visit here to question time and a visit to Government House hosted by the Governor-General herself. Applications close this Friday, so I encourage any young people out there listening to get their applications in before it closes.

I want to acknowledge the incredible work of Bryce Corbett and the entire team behind this project. Bryce completed his fellowship with the Winston Churchill Trust in 2025, and his work on international best practice in teaching media literacy to primary school children is a valuable contribution to the national conversation. Today, civics education cannot be separated from media literacy and digital literacy. That's why it matters that the Australian curriculum includes civics and citizenship across years 3 to 10, supported by the government's Civics and Citizenship Education Hub. In 2026, being an informed citizen means more than knowing the three levels of government or understanding how a bill becomes law. It means also knowing how information reaches you, questioning what you see online, recognising manipulation, checking sources and understanding the difference between reporting, commentary and misinformation.

Strengthening democracy also means supporting informed choice. At the last election, when I was out doorknocking across Griffith, there were times people told me they were still unsure, still weighing things up or did not know where they stood. In these conversations I often encourage people to take the time to read widely, compare policies and use trusted public information, including tools like ABC's Vote Compass, to help them think through the issues before casting their vote. Democracy is strongest when people vote with confidence and understanding. An informed vote is not about following habit or noise. It's about taking the time to weigh the facts, consider the choices before you and decide what matters most to you and your community.

When we debate appropriations, we should understand that this is not only about funding services in the narrow sense; it is about whether we are properly funding the habits, institutions and pathways that keep our democratic life healthy. That means backing teachers with resources and professional development. It means making sure civics learning is not left to chance or postcode, and it means supporting school visits, outreach programs and practical democratic experiences. In Griffith, we know that strong communities are built when we feel informed, included and heard. The same is true for our nation. A healthy democracy needs more than just laws and institutions. It needs citizens who understand those laws, trust those institutions enough to engage with them and feel confident that their voice matters. That confidence does not appear by accident. We build it, we teach it, we model it, and, yes, we fund it.

As we consider these appropriations, I support the investments that strengthen civics education, democratic participation and media literacy across the country, because every time we help a child understand parliament, every time we give a young person a meaningful say and every time we teach someone how to test what they are being told online, we do more than fund a program. We strengthen the democratic fabric of Australia, and that is good investment, indeed. I am so proud of the work that is happening across the country to strengthen our civics education, our media literacy and ultimately our democracy. I am incredibly passionate about so much of that happening in my community of Griffith.

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