STATEMENTS BY SENATORS

Senator DOWLING (Tasmania) (13:40): Some lessons stay with you for life. One of mine is 'Always be prepared.' I learnt that growing up in Tasmania as a proud member of the Lindisfarne Cub Scout group. That lesson has stayed with me.

While my knot-tying skills leave a little to be desired and I wouldn't even back myself to start a camp fire these days, the lesson of being prepared has stayed with me. Last week, I met Scouts Tasmania's chief commissioner, Phil Harper, at the Lea Scout Centre in Kingston. That's a place where I remember learning some of those knot-tying skills very early on, some 30 years ago, as a young Scout, and it was good to be back and hear the difference that Scouting continues to make for young Tasmanians and those across the country.

Scouts Tasmania supports around 1,300 young people, helping them build resilience, leadership skills and confidence. This isn't just nostalgia talking. Research by Resilient Youth Australia found that Scouts were more likely to face up to problems, to help others and to talk to someone when they're upset.

They also reported being more positive, better able to cope with life and less likely to use devices overnight. At a time when we're concerned about young people's mental health, social connection and screen time, these findings are particularly encouraging. Those are the skills that last long after the badges are earned and the tents are packed away.

The Lea centre itself is a valuable community asset, hosting school camps, outdoor education and activities for community groups. None of this would be possible without the dedicated volunteers who give their time helping young Tasmanians, and I thank them for their service. More than a century on, Scouts are still preparing young Tasmanians not just for their next adventure but for life.

I'll finish with an old Cub Scout call: 'Dyb, dyb, dyb. Dob, dob, dob. Do your best.

Do our best.'