Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to congratulate the students and staff of Earnshaw State College on becoming the first Australian school to ever win the international Global Enterprise Challenge. The challenge is a rapid-fire competition involving students from 14 countries, including Australia. Students involved gain important knowledge about business and enterprise, as well as hone valuable skills like teamwork, critical thinking and using information technology. Teams were given just 24 hours to prepare a plan for a business in 2030 to produce an innovative game for a family of four to address the issues facing the world then.

The solution that the children produced was called ‘Axis’. It used the power of technology, presumably much more advanced by 2030, to allow players to take on the role of a nation’s leader to develop their country’s potential and respond to issues in real time. Under their proposal, players in the game would address many of the issues that we debate in this place, like economic management, protecting the environment and dealing with the threat posed by global terrorism. A team of 10 students from years 10 to 12 prepared a written report, video presentation and PowerPoint slides which laid out a timetable for development as well as plans for sales and marketing. The standard of the proposal developed by these students was very high indeed, especially considering it was produced in such a short span of time.

I would like to acknowledge the hard work of those who mentored the students participating in the challenge—Colleen Hills and Jane Freier from Earnshaw State College, college captain Jared Peut, and Bob Steele from the Brisbane North Chamber of Commerce. The students participating in the challenge were served very well by their support. I congratulate the students on their success in winning this challenge. I wish them all the best for their future studies. If the work they have produced here is any guide, I am sure they will enjoy great success in the future.