Anne Urquhart (Braddon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This week I had the privilege of attending Carers Australia's young carers Australia barbecue right here in Parliament House, where I met the wonderful Taya and her mum, Kathryn, from Burnie in the electorate that I represent. Taya is an extraordinary 15-year-old and a proud young carer. She cares for her younger brother Kye, who has level 3 autism, is nonverbal and lives with a global development delay. When Kye was first diagnosed, Taya knew nothing about autism or the challenges ahead, but she embraced her role with courage and resilience. Her caring responsibilities are significant. She manages toileting, nightly medication, getting both herself and Kye ready for school, ensuring someone is home to meet his bus and providing constant supervision. These are just some of the daily tasks that make life more complex for her family.

While many of her peers may not fully understand the demands of her role, Taya continues to show incredible strength. Despite these responsibilities, she's still a teenager with really big dreams. She plays club football, performs in musicals, takes on leadership roles in school, works part time and maintains a social life. She speaks honestly about carer burn out and the struggle to balance her own needs with Kye's and reminds us that caring takes a village. She's grateful for the support around her. Her story is a powerful reminder of the resilience of our young carers, and my hat goes off to her.