Joanna Gash (Gilmore, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Deputy Speaker, you would know that over the years we have work experience students in my electorate of Gilmore. Present in the chamber today is Richard Dowdy, who has done work experience for me for this week. These are his words about his time in parliament:

Firstly I would like to extend a warm thankyou to Mrs Gash MP, the staff in her office and the various members of parliament that took time out of their busy schedules to meet with me.

As a first year law student at the University of Canberra I have a keen interest in both politics and news and current affairs.

I was honoured and most privileged for the time I was given and the ease in which conversation occurred.

Throughout the week I raised many issues that I have an interest in or that directly affect me, from VSU, border security, citizenship, tax reform, youth allowance and cross media ownership and I was given a broad perspective of ideas and issues to think about in regards to all of these.

The citizenship debate is one that I believe is central to Australia’s ongoing battle against terrorism and the protection of our borders.

We live in a modernised western society and as such we should adopt the same principles in regards to granting citizenship as the United States of America and other nations. What is wrong with asking potential citizens questions about the Australian flag? Asking who certain members of parliament are? Asking what the states and territories of Australia are? And questions as such.

What is wrong with expecting those people that wish to become citizens of this great country to speak the English language? This is not about Muslims or anyone group. It is about creating respect, recognition and honouring Australia’s history and the beliefs of which we stand for.

Who possibly could believe that basic requirements such as these are unfair or unjust? Citizenship should be treated as a privilege and an amazing honour and if questions such as the ones I posed cannot be answered then I ask the question should these individuals be granted citizenship in a country as free and great as ours?

I now have a greater understanding as to why the top marginal tax rate of 45% cannot easily be reduced; I have no doubt however that this bracket in time should be reduced significantly.

The government has shown continuously to its credit that it cuts taxes where possible in a variety of forms.

I believe however it is crucial to Australia’s future that this bracket is significantly cut so as to reward those that generally contribute the most financially to the economy. At the moment they are being punished for being financially successful.

These are the people that pay the wages, that stimulate the growth, that invest and as such they are the backbone of Australia’s economy.

VSU is a fantastic piece of legislation, contrary to the belief that almost all university students are opposed to it, I believe it is in the best interests of students.

I joined the university gym and the membership price I paid is still cheaper than what the yearly union membership was.

I don’t expect others to pay for something they will never use and likewise I don’t want to pay for a facility I would never use.

Why should anyone have to pay for something that they do not want? I have found that it is often the lecturers that preach against VSU.

Socialist left wing baby boomers brainwash students against VSU—

brave words—

and until this can be overcome VSU will always be a controversial issue.

I will finally touch on a subject that directly affects myself and many of my fellow university students.

That of youth allowance

I frequently see the abuse of tax payer funds in regards to what the youth allowance is spent on.

Alcohol, cigarettes, gambling and other activities that the money is not intended to be spent on.

I like many others are lucky enough to be in a position where our parents can afford to send us away to university and pay for accommodation, university and living expenses.

It is however I believe unfair that because of the financial position of our parents that we are therefore disqualified from obtaining youth allowance unless we have worked 18 months after leaving school and have earned $17 thousand dollars.

This essentially means that I and many others would have to delay their university education hence why many students chose to go overseas to work on a GAP year meaning when they come back they will be immediately eligible for youth allowance.

I would like to see the assets and means test taken away as I don’t understand what makes one student more eligible than another.

I don’t see why some parents should have to fork out the money with no assistance what so ever.

A possible way of doing this is tying in CSP payments with youth allowance.

For example if CSP fees are paid upfront then you are given automatic eligibility.

At the moment it can generally be said that those that defer payments are more likely to be entitled to receive youth allowance than those that pay it upfront due to the income of their parents.

I believe the scheme should have no means test like the baby bonus scheme.

I would like to congratulate the Australian government on the wonderful job they have done in regards to industrial relations, economic growth, border protection, tax reform, counter terrorism, VSU and many other vitally important areas.

This government has given young people of Australia so many opportunities and I am sure if not now, in the future this will be realised.

And I hope one day to be able to enter Australian politics and contribute to make Australia an even greater place.

It has been a great pleasure to have Richard in our office. He is a typical example of young people of today for Australia.