STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Mr MONCRIEFF (Hughes) (16:37): Aarika Harsha is a hardworking year 6 student from Holsworthy Public School in my electorate in southern Sydney, and she has just won the years 5 to 6 category of the 2026 Prime Minister's Spelling Bee. Aarika scored an outstanding 29 out of 30 in 64.6 seconds in her first time entering the competition. She wasn't expecting to win and was simply competing to the best of her abilities.

She was shocked when her teacher revealed the result of her hard work and dedication to learning—a result that is worth celebrating. Aarika recently came to Canberra to meet the Prime Minister and recognise her achievement, as well as test the Prime Minister's own spelling skills with tricky words. Aarika loves the book Exit Through the Gift Shop, by Australian author Maryam Master, as well as the Harry Potter series.

She is an enthusiastic reader who looks up unfamiliar words and tries to use them in her own speaking and writing—an insatiable curiosity that many of us grown-ups could learn a thing or two from. Eighteen other Holsworthy students made the top 500 in New South Wales to qualify for the state final. Nearly 100,000 students got involved in this year's spelling bee—a fantastic opportunity to build confidence, literacy and a love of learning.

A big congratulations to Aarika for her excellent achievement and to all the students from Holsworthy Public School and beyond who took the chance to put their spelling skills to the test.