Mr DUTTON (9:54 AM) —I would like to briefly inform the parliament of some ways that the community in Dickson, of whom I am very proud, is getting involved and making a positive contribution to our way of life. On Tuesday, 6 August, I launched the Dickson Young Leaders Forum, with the federal Minister for Education, Science and Training, the Hon. Dr Brendan Nelson.

An invitation was extended to all secondary schools in Dickson. The forum subsequently provided school leaders from six of the local high schools, and their principals, with the opportunity to discuss youth and education issues in a full and frank manner with Dr Nelson and me, with the purpose being the creation of a direct channel of communication with young Australians so that their views can be taken into account in the policy making process. I commend the students who participated, including Jonah Hanlon and Chris Sparks from Mt Maria Senior College; Craig Hynd, Emily Absolon, Lisa Rosta and Ian Farina from Albany Creek State High School; Adam Napier, Angela Stonier, Adrian Crawford and Kim Garozzo from Ferny Grove State High School; Chris Clark and Amanda Boyd from Dakabin State High School; Robert Carey, Jennifer Tummon, Dan Booshand and Angela Christie from Pine Rivers State High School; Stephen Reibelt, Sigrid Sawdon, Chantal Baker and Marco Israel from Kolbe College.

The Dickson Young Leaders Forum was a success and will be held many more times. It gave me great satisfaction to hear the positive comments made by many of the attendees and, in particular, by Emily Absolon, the captain of Albany Creek High School, who was quoted in the local Northern Times as saying, `It was a good initiative as it gave all involved an insight into schools in the area.' The value of open communication with the youth of today cannot be underestimated. As a government, and as a parliament, we owe it to the future leaders of this country to give them the chance to influence the decisions made today that will decide their futures tomorrow. The school leaders in Dickson appreciated the respect that was given to them, and in return they made a positive contribution to relevant issues of youth and education in Australia today.

The principals and students who attended the inaugural Dickson Young Leaders Forum should be commended for taking the opportunity to speak directly with the federal education minister. The minister spoke about many issues, including fresh opportunities both in and out of the tertiary system for young school leavers. He spoke about great apprenticeship schemes benefiting young Dickson residents, like those offered by East Coast Training and by BIGA Training. He also spoke about the incredible success story of the Jobs Pathway Program operating out of Dakabin State High School. The young leaders forums in the future should involve young people from a broad cross-section and should cover issues including not just education but also broader issues affecting youth and our society generally.

While our youth are our future, it is important that we recognise the ever-increasing age of our population as well. That is why I also recently held the inaugural forum for seniors in Dickson—the Dickson Seniors Council. This group has been formed to allow me to further understand the everyday differences that can be made by good policy to the lives of our elderly citizens. I thank those who attended, including Keith Madden, Keith and June Thompson, Jane Lord, Jean Green, Joyce Wills and Bob Appleton, for their interest in the program. In the same way young people enjoy being able to make a positive contribution, so do seniors. It is critical for me, in achieving my goal to be a good representative, to hear what these people are saying and to make a difference for them. As an elected member of this parliament, I can best do this by knowing what my constituents think about issues in the broader community. By providing these two avenues of communication in Dickson, I can demonstrate to them that I am here to listen and to act on their concerns. (Time expired)