Thirty-one students from the Parkes electorate have joined the Raise Our Voice in Parliament campaign, with three selected as outstanding entries.
Federal Member for Parkes Jamie Chaffey MP said it was wonderful to see students from across the electorate so engaged in Federal Parliament and taking leadership roles.
“I would like to thank all of the 31 students who took the time to tell decision-makers what matters most to them, what they want us to understand, and what they think needs to change,” Mr Chaffey said.
“It is incredibly important to hear from the people who are just starting their journey into leadership, and who are often impacted by the decisions made in Canberra. This campaign allows young people a direct conduit to the people who represent them.
“It was an honour to receive 31 articulate, well-considered submissions, and it would have been wonderful to read each and every one of them in Parliament during Youth Voice in Parliament Week this week, but unfortunately, parliamentary speaking times do not allow for this.
“Three students – 12-year-old Kian from Coonamble, 12-year-old Lilah from Gunnedah, and 16-year-old Molly from Dubbo – sent me outstanding submissions about their thoughts for the future. All three selected students did get an official mention in a speech I gave this week.
“Congratulations to Kian, Lilah and Molly, to all the students who submitted a speech, and to the organisers of the Raise Our Voice in Parliament campaign.”
The Raise Our Voice in Parliament campaign is run by volunteers to mobilise young people to contribute to and transform policy and politics.
The Youth Voice in Parliament event this week coincided with another amazing contribution by a Parkes electorate student – 12-year-old Hallie from Gunnedah, who spoke at the Power of Speech event in Canberra.
Hallie has bilateral cochlear implants and has received specialist hearing support from Next Sense since she was a baby. She spoke at Parliament House about her story growing up with hearing loss.
“Hallie spoke so well in Canberra, and it was a reminder of the difference early intervention and access to specialist services can make in a young person’s life,” Mr Chaffey said.
“For families living in regional communities like Gunnedah, access to these services, including through telehealth, is particularly important.”
Quotes from Raise Our Voice speeches:
Kian, 12, from Coonamble:
“Why would you let thousands of people wait and nearly die when they need hospital support?
The health service in Coonamble is even worse. With only 11 beds and limited doctors, we have to wait over an hour to be seen. This is horrible. We also do not have specialists in town and need to travel to visit bigger towns to see special doctors. People in country towns deserve stronger government support for better access to medical facilities.”
Lilah, 12, from Gunnedah:
“I want young people to have a decent life where they have a unit. Parliament, if you are reading this speech, I want you to make an impact on our young civilians’ lives and make a change.”
Molly, 16, from Dubbo:
“Spending time in rural hospitals for work experience opened my eyes – opened my eyes to the inequalities that rural areas face, particularly in the healthcare sector. It made me question why my postcode determined the care I received.”
The Raise Our Voice in Parliament campaign received 727 submissions nationwide. The top issues were education, cost of living, housing, mental health, and AI and digital safety. You can find out more here: https://raiseourvoiceaustralia.com/
Caption: Hallie, 12 from Gunnedah, speaks in Parliament at the Power of Speech event this week.
Please note: We cannot provide the surnames of the students due to privacy issues.
ENDS
Media contact: Marie Low | 0491 940 108 | marie.low@aph.gov.au