The national My First Speech competition has been launched, with McEwen MP Rob Mitchell encouraging students to participate.
The competition challenges students in years 10, 11 and 12 to imagine they have just been elected to Parliament and record a 90-second speech on a topic they are passionate about.
Mr Mitchell said the competition is a great opportunity for students to get involved in parliament and highlight the issues that are important to them.
“The My First Speech competition is a great way for our future community leaders to have a say in our national parliament,” he said.
“The competition asks [students]… to consider what they would say if they were a newly elected Member of the House of Representatives.
“Three lucky students [will win] the opportunity to fly to Canberra and present their speeches live.
“I encourage all schools to promote the competition to eligible students, and the students to take on this opportunity to have the issues most important to them heard at the highest level.”
The winners, along with a parent or a guardian, will be flown to Canberra to deliver their speeches at Parliament House. They will also participate in a program to deepen their understanding of legislative processes.
Fraser MP Dr Daniel Mulino and Speaker of the House of Representatives Milton Dick launched the competition, and Dr Mulino said the competition is a great opportunity for local students to gain experience.
“The students participating in this competition will be our local leaders of tomorrow,” Dr Mulino said.
“The experience they will gain from just taking part will give them a head start on their future.”
