Statement By Senators: Civics at Burra Community School.

I recently had the great pleasure of visiting the Burra Community School. It's a great school, and I spoke to the students there about the role of parliament and what we do in this place. But I also spoke to them about how they can have their voice heard, how they can get involved in the decisions that shape the future of this country, which is so important. I'm always really gripped by the enthusiasm and the dedication of the students, who ask such interesting questions. They were interested in how decisions are made, they had seen clips of people in here shouting at each other, but they'd also seen the outcome of good decisions, decisions that they supported, and were really interested in how all that played out. They also were quite interested in food options in parliament and they wanted to really know if these chairs are actually as comfortable as they look. Unfortunately, I did have to point out that maybe they are not. But it was a really great conversation, and it gives me so much faith in the future when I see schools like the Burra Community School, in South Australia, investing so heavily and ensuring that those students can understand the world that they live in, understand how to influence their surroundings, how to be a part of their community and shape decisions. It was really delightful. 

I want to thank the students and staff of Burra Community School, in that great community of Burra, for having me and for being so generous with their time and their humour and for asking such great questions. The future is safe in their hands. I can see some great leaders coming through for the future.