Geoff Lyons (Bass, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to congratulate a very skilled and talented 13-year-old student in my electorate of Bass. His name is Oliver Vogel-Reed. Oliver is a grade 7 student at Riverside High School and his recent second place in the national Future Problem Solving Program International championship at the University of Melbourne against older competitors has earned him a trip, representing Australia, to the Future Problem Solving Program International world championships in the United States next June. Oliver was inspired by his teacher, Mr Briginshaw, who has coached him.

What I find particularly impressive is that Oliver has only been problem solving for about 6 months. The competition involves solving problems that are set in the future, requiring precise structure and excellent analytical skills. Oliver enjoys reading and science, is a member of the local scouts group and enjoys hanging out with his mates and riding his bike and scooter just like any other teenager. Yet his ability to solve complex problems is amazing. His quick thinking and imaginative skills are a major part of assisting Oliver to analyse future problems. And these problems are not your run-of-the-mill questions; they include food issues, poverty and global starvation. Congratulations again to Oliver Vogel-Reed. I would like to wish him well as he represents Australia at the world championships of Future Problem Solving Program International next year.