STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Ms SHARKIE (Mayo) (13:30): In that first week back after our last sitting block, that Monday was my birthday, and there is no better way to spend your birthday— Ms Aldred: Happy birthday! Ms SHARKIE: thank you; it's a couple of weeks ago now—than to be inside a classroom. On that day I visited the Eastern Fleurieu School, the Ashbourne campus, and together we debated a bill to ban homework—19 students from year 3 to year 6.

Ashbourne is a very small, beautiful agricultural community. It's about 12 kilometres south of Meadows, it's west of Strathalbyn and it is the sweetest school you could possibly find—a true little Australian rural school. I'd like to thank teacher Mathilda Longbottom and her wonderful students.

I had an excellent birthday. This Friday I'm looking forward to attending Hills Christian Community School, where I'll be teaching 54 students civics, and then, a little bit later in September, I'll go out to Mount Barker South Primary School. I love teaching civics.

I think it's a very important part of our job as members of parliament. I think it's very important that you bring cosplay into it, not just a mace and a dispatch box. We need to ensure that the next generation has a very strong and great love of our democracy.

So thank you to Eastern Fleurieu Ashbourne campus.