Terry Young (Longman, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, at this very moment there are more than 25 million people living in Australia. Every single one of these Australians are at different stages in their lives and they are embarking on diverse journeys. They all have different hopes, goals, needs, talents, abilities and dreams that make them who they are. We are all unique. We all see the world and life in a completely different light to the next person. Some people see the world in colour, and others see it in black and white. Having views different to other people does not mean we are any less of a person; it just means we need to find our dreams and goals down another path. Life doesn't end just because you don't get into university, because you struggle to study at school or because you don't get your dream job on the first try. It just means you have to forge another path to achieve your goals.

Children are finding their place in the world, learning that you don't have to conform to what society thinks you should be or what others think you should be. All you need to be yourself and happiness will come. Not every kid fits into a mainstream school. That's why it is important to have schools that cater to the needs of their students and their families. I was fortunate enough to visit Horizons College in my electorate of Longman this year. Horizons College of Learning and Enrichment is an independent special assistance school based in Caboolture. It is committed to assisting young people for whom mainstream education is not meaningful. The Horizons College commenced in 2014 and now caters for students across years 7 to 12. I commend Horizons College for their work.