Tania Lawrence (Hasluck, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Talent is spread evenly, but opportunity is not. Quite rightly, the parents and teachers in my electorate of Hasluck absolutely expect me to fight for every opportunity that can be extended to the young people within my electorate of Hasluck, and it's a challenge I'm quite happy to rise to. As a graduate of the public school system myself, starting out in Lockridge Primary School and then continuing to York District High School and Northam Senior High School, I understand the value of, and the huge opportunities that come from, public education. It's one that I am absolutely proud to have backed in.

That started with the Gonski recommendations, back in 2012, being implemented under the Albanese Labor government so that every public school is funded 100 per cent to the School Resource Standard. That is making a difference: the principals, the teachers, the support staff talk to me about the difference that has made; and parents talk to me about the difference that it has made to their child. For example, recently I had the opportunity to visit Akeley Secondary College, and what a school that is! This is a school, from years 7 to 12, that provides opportunities for students, be it across ATAR or vocational training. In fact, they have a dedicated trade training centre where they are literally building houses. They do mini, scaled-down versions. It's super cute and practical; it's giving them the practical, valuable life skills they need to support the building of homes—amongst the many other trades and skills that they're learning there.

In the same school, they have what is called an education support hub. This centre is able to support children from years 7 to 12 with moderate to profound disabilities. Every child—with talent, without talent and everything in between—is given the full opportunities to rise to the occasion. It's so special to see. In this particular context, Akeley Secondary College has a hydrotherapy pool. For children who are not able to play cricket and tennis and basketball, they're able to exercise and get full-body movement through hydrotherapy. It is something else! I am so proud that we are funding the public education system to be able to ensure opportunity is extended to every student in that school, and it absolutely is. It was remarkable to see. The community is proud of it, and I'm absolutely proud to support the funding to back them in.

I've also had occasions recently, particularly around Anzac Day, to visit a number of other high schools. The discipline in schools in the public system is something that the teachers should be proud of, and I thank them greatly.

Alicia Payne (Canberra, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In accordance with standing order 193, the time for constituency statements has concluded.