I want to recognise and thank the inaugural members of the Bradfield Youth Forum, a group that I established because a young constituent wrote to me, twice in fact, asking how young people in our community could share their perspectives and contribute meaningfully to local and the national conversation.
So my sincere thanks goes to the 13 students who have given their time, their energy, and their ideas. And to their schools, Roseville College, St. Ives High School, Glenaeon Steiner School, Turramurra High School, Northern Beaches Secondary College, Knox Grammar School, and Abbotsleigh.
This group's met several times, and they've chosen three priorities: the financial pressures on young people, particularly housing and HECS, transparency in government spending, and education funding and equity. But they weren't content just to identify problems.
They researched and tested their ideas, and their final proposal is what I've called the Bradfield Budget Challenge, a competition that invites local students to imagine themselves as the treasurer and build their own federal budget. The Bradfield Budget Challenge will allow young people to understand where public money goes and make the case for change.
These inspirational young people may not be able to vote yet, but they have all the knowledge and the skills and the grit, frankly, that they absolutely need to have make sure that they have a say in the decisions that they make here. And on behalf of Bradfield, I'd like to congratulate them.