Patrick Gorman (Perth, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On 11 October I participated in the Jasiri Australia and Girl Guides 'Girls take over Parliament' program with Amber Micale. As a result, last Thursday, Amber, in her capacity as the acting member for Perth, helped me write the following words for me to deliver on her behalf. Amber says:

The Girls Take Over Parliament program gives girls the chance to shadow a parliamentarian in order to learn about the parliament.

In Western Australia the program was expertly coordinated by Hannah Woodard from WA Girl Guides.

The Guides have a goal of empowering young women.

There is a new world coming and we need to prepare women and young girls to be part of it.

Empowering women to become parliamentarians is important because we need 50 per cent of our parliamentarians if we are to reflect 50 per cent of Australia.

Currently we only have 29 per cent of this House represented by women.

If we want to empower young Australian women we need to teach them from a young age they CAN do it—

Amber says—

When I was younger, my mum taught me that I can be the change I want to see in the world.

My mum Shelley is an inspiration to me.

She works closely with victims of domestic violence and homeless young people.

This has encouraged me to speak out on these important policy changes through the Girls Take Over Parliament Program.

Congratulations to Amber, Jasiri Australia and Girl Guides Australia.