Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The opportunity to learn another language is a gift to young Australians, particularly those in regional towns and communities. It is great news that a preschool in my electorate—Reynolds Street Community Preschool at Goulburn—has been selected for the government's Early Learning Languages Australia trial. I met recently with centre director Jo Mavrigiannakis, early childhood teacher Melissa-Rae Oakley, and the centre's wonderful staff and children, who are very excited about the opportunity. Languages available through the program include Mandarin, Japanese, Indonesian, Arabic and French. Reynolds Street has chosen to introduce Arabic to the children, a language I have been told is particularly difficult to learn.

The preschool is planning to extend the children's learning by providing an insight into other cultures based around the trial, including an international food feast day. As the program is introduced, the centre will enjoy the support of staff member Nora Huwazan, who is fluent in Arabic, and an enthusiastic parent, Sam Khalil, who is of Egyptian heritage. Mr Khalil has already started teaching Arabic to his daughter and knows the value to children of learning a second language. I look forward to returning to Reynolds Street next year, not only for the feast day but to see how the centre has used this initiative to open the minds of the young people in its care.