Andrew Broad (Mallee, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think that I probably speak on behalf of all members when I say that, when you represent people and you scratch the surface, you find all these really good news stories of things going on right across Australia. I just want to bring to the attention of the House a group of young women who are walking 550 kilometres from Melbourne all the way to Red Cliffs—I might point out that it is nearly 40 degrees today—to raise money for a primary school in Kenya. They are calling it Kenya Go The Distance? It is for the Masinde Primary School in Kenya, which is predominantly educating young girls.

The aim is to raise $20,000, so, if you see them walking down the road in their yellow T-shirts, by all means stop and donate some money. This is about educating young girls in a community. We have found from experience, when we have delivered aid programs through successive governments, that, when you invest in the young women, those young women then ultimately come up and grow the community. I see that the Deputy Speaker, Ms Claydon, is acknowledging that.

I just want to say this. People often say to MPs, 'Surely it's a tough job,' or, 'Why would you do it?' The thing that does make it really worthwhile is when you come across these great community people, these people in your own electorates, who are doing great things for the broader humanity. I just want to say that I am proud. Can you go the distance? Yes, you can.