Bert Van Manen (Forde, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am proud to be able to acknowledge the students of Beenleigh State High School, who have become champions of agriculture through a unique on-farm learning scheme. The Show Team is an ongoing program run by Beenleigh's Robert Nolan which has split farms across five hectares at the school and a further 20 hectares at Yatala. They have not yet been able to get the Show Team into the Ekka, but in the past couple of years they have done exceptionally well, obtaining champion status with their bulls and cows at the Ipswich, Mudgeeraba and Beenleigh shows.

The great thing about the Show Team, which is just one of the excellent programs available at Beenleigh state high, is that it is especially for the kids who are lacking in confidence. It is great for building young people's confidence and public-speaking ability, and one hopes that those participating in the program might seriously consider a career in agriculture.

Mr Nolan is extremely passionate about seeing the program continue into the future and I note that he would like people, especially from regional areas and the cities, to be made more aware of what the program does to ensure they are able to get the support they need to sustain it. It is one of the largest secondary school agricultural departments in Queensland, and I wish Mr Nolan and all the students involved all the very best for the future.