Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

One of the finest traditions that we have in this place is that we welcome kids from schools right around the country. I welcome those who have joined us today in the chamber. I was pleased to see that some of the young Australians got to witness the speech that the Leader of the Opposition gave earlier about higher education which set out some important principles. I was pleased to welcome last week kids from Woodridge North State School, Calamvale Community College and John Paul College from my own community. Many of these kids ask why our democracy matters, and I say, 'It's because it impacts on your lives, and that's why we need to include you, not just in the ceremony of the place but in the substance of our ideas and policies.'

When you go home, your parents ask might ask you what you saw while you were in Canberra. I think you should tell them that when you came to Canberra you saw one side of politics that wants to fan and feed your ambitions and opportunities and another side of the House that wants to extinguish them—not for all of you, but for some of you. That side wants to make you choose between higher education or a university degree and buying a home or raising a family or starting a small business—not for all of you, but for some of you. This side has a different view. When the time comes to decide whether you want to go to university, we want you to understand that this side wants that decision to be determined by what is in your mind and not what is in your parents' wallets.