Julie Owens (Parramatta, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Friday I joined Darcy Road Public School in Wentworthville as they celebrated Ride2School Day. It was not the first time; Darcy Road Public hosts a ride to school morning every year, aimed at getting the kids out of the car and onto their bikes and scooters and riding to school safely. The children, parents, teachers and I met at Caloola Road Reserve and cycled down the hill to the school where a wonderful breakfast had been prepared by parents. Across the country, more than 300,000 children did the same. Forget the bus or the car—they rode, skated, scooted or walked to school.

In the 1970s around 80 per cent of all schoolchildren rode or walked to school, as did I. Today, that number is down to around 20 per cent, even though we know that riding to school has so many benefits. It is a great way to stay fit, the children are more alert and energised when they arrive at school, and riding to school makes the children feel self-sufficient and improves self-confidence.

Thanks to the assistant principal, Sean McLoughlin, who organised the morning, as well as principal Trudy Hopkins for her support. Thanks very much to all the teachers, parents and children who rode their bikes on the day. It was fantastic to see such strong support for safe, active travel in our community.