ADJOURNMENT
Mr KENNEDY (Cook) (19:30): I'd like to thank Deputy Speaker Dr Freelander for his advocacy recently on the gambling reform. He did an amazing job, and I was very much in awe of the deputy speaker, so congratulations to you. I'd like to read some speeches from the Raise Our Voice competition from three constituents in my electorate.
The first is from Billy. Billy writes: I consulted a veteran lifesaver who has patrolled the beaches of Cronulla for over 60 years. His message was a warning. 'I've been doing this for 40 years,' he told me, 'and I've never pulled more people out of that water than I have the past few seasons.' Before heavy mining in the 1970s and 80s, giant sand dunes created long, gentle sandbanks with predictable rips.
Cronulla was a safe haven for swimmers, even crowned a National Surfing Reserve. Today the sandbanks are gone. What remains are narrow banks with steep drop-offs and intense rips.
Swimmers, even within the flags, risk falling off the back of sandbars into deep water. Sharp rocks are now exposed. Homes and roads sit closer to the next major swell.
The Council's own Coastal Management Program tells us there is a 95 per cent chance that, by 2070, a major storm will destroy what we've built if nothing changes. But Speaker, the solution exists. The NSW government must fund a regular sand dredging and nourishment program, delivering 80,0000 cubic metres of sand along our coastline every five years.
It worked in 1977. We simply haven't kept it up. C Care, a community group born from this crisis, has gathered thousands of signatures.
The community has done its part. Now it's this parliament's turn. Daria from my electorate also wrote: How many Einsteins have we lost due to poverty?
How many Jane Austens lost to bullying? How many Isaac Newtons lost to mental health problems? I'm not here with answers to fix the world, but I am imploring you to empower us young people, to make us feel capable, so we can pave the way into a brighter future.
My name is Daria; I am 18. I was born to an immigrant single mother. I grew up in social housing.
I have moved over 10 times. I have had to work twice as hard to get even close to what other people achieve. For every opportunity, I fought.
Yet, I felt invisible and powerless. One day, in Year 11, I received the Simon Kennedy Award on our ceremony day. That was the day I was truly seen; I was supported.
I was no longer am defined by my circumstances. I want to give this experience to other young people who work hard and have it hard, so they too can be recognised, gain support, and believe in their own capabilities. I ask for a new initiative: for members of parliament to recognise and celebrate hard-working young people in your area's primary and high schools, similar to the Simon Kennedy Award, but with a focus on hard-working young people.
Recognition from successful parliamentary figures is a powerful message that our circumstances do not define our potential. Use your power to empower our youth, as this is where we start to rebuild a brighter future. Finally, Leila, who's 11, wrote: today I would like to raise my voice in parliament for Australians living with vision impairment.
Imagine trying to cross a busy road without being able to see the traffic lights, read signs or recognise the faces of the people around you. For many Australians, this is their everyday reality. People with vision impairment deserve the same opportunities as everyone else, yet many still face unnecessary barriers because our communities are not designed with accessibility in mind.
Other countries have already shown us what is possible. In Japan, tactile pathways and smart audible pedestrian crossings help people with vision impairment travel safely and independently. In Switzerland, accessible crossings use smart technology that can be activated when needed, giving people greater confidence while crossing busy roads.
Australia has the opportunity to build on these successful ideas. We need more smart audible crossings, Braille and tactile signage, accessible learning resources in schools and greater investment in assistive technology. Inclusion is not about giving people special treatment.
It is about removing barriers so everyone can participate equally, safely and independently. When we make our communities accessible for people with vision impairment, we create a kinder, fairer Australia for everyone. I hope parliament considers these initiatives from these young Australians.