Last week, MPs and senators read speeches from people aged 10 to 25 in federal parliament. Here is what they heard from young South Australians.
The Raise Our Voice in Parliament campaign is in its fourth year of connecting young voices with politicians for Youth Voice in Parliament Week.
This year, a record-breaking 96 MPs and senators took part in the campaign, reading speeches from their young constituents.
The speeches are all penned by young Aussies aged 25 and under responding to the question: What do you want your community to look like in the next 10 years, and what can the next parliament do to achieve it?
The national campaign is organised by the volunteer-run social enterprise Raise Our Voice Australia.
Ashleigh Streeter-Jones & Deputy CEO Lauren Pollock at Parliament House
CEO and Founder Ashleigh Streeter-Jones says it’s exciting to see this many politicians commit to amplifying the voice and passions of young people around the country.
“Reading the speeches, it’s clear that young people are passionate, engaged, and have a vision for their future,” Ashleigh says.
“In the lead-up to an election, it’s also a reminder of the power and passion of younger generations, and it’s a privilege to share these speeches and this hope with our national leaders.”
There were seven participants from South Australia involved in the campaign, with speeches covering issues including healthcare, access to sports, financial stress, the social model of disability and tackling homelessness.
This is what young South Australians said they want their community to look like in the next 10 years, and how the next parliament can achieve it.
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Grace, 17
Read in parliament by Senator Anne Ruston
My name is Grace Leonello, and I am a 17-year-old from the federal electorate of Spence. The scarcity of dignified employment and the shortage of specialist services in our fragmented healthcare system have had a profound impact on my family, myself, and many Australians. I’ve had to rely on temporary steroid treatments while waiting nine months to see a specialist.
Our healthcare system frequently opts for short-term solutions without tackling the root causes of long waiting lists. This unsustainable approach affects the welfare of all Australians and must be addressed to build the ideal community I envision for the next decade. In South Australia, we face a severe shortage of nurses, with some managing up to six patients simultaneously. This excessive workload endangers patient safety and prevents nurses from delivering the quality care every Australian deserves.
This situation leaves me, a 17-year-old Australian, feeling hopeless, unsupported, and unheard—a sentiment that extends beyond my personal experience to my entire community. Honourable members of Parliament, I urge you to take decisive action on these critical issues in the coming years.
We need increased funding to boost staffing and resources, measures to shorten waiting times for specialist care, enhanced training for healthcare professionals, and expanded palliative care services. Let us work together to create a healthcare system that delivers timely, high-quality care for both patients and healthcare workers. The well-being of our families, communities, and future generations depends on it. Thank you.
Eden, 16
Read in parliament by Member for Mayo, Rebekah Sharkie
My name is Eden, I’m 16 years old and I live in the Mayo electorate. I live in a regional area and sport is a big part of our community. Yet we don’t have the correct facilities to use for our sports.
For example, the basketball seasons are held in the gym of the public school on only one court. This means that some people don’t go home until 9:15pm on some weeknights. The idea of a new stadium has been proposed several times, but nothing has ever actually gone ahead. Strathalbyn is a growing town, and more people are playing sports – especially young people – with not enough space to fit them all.
I know a lot of people that have moved to a different club because that club had more resources and a better training capacity.
In ten years, I want my community to still have sport as a way to bring people together and to have the resources to facilitate that. If Strathalbyn could access funding and support to build a new multi-sport stadium, it would benefit everyone, regardless of what sport they play.
Amy, 16
Read in parliament by Member for Mayo, Rebekah Sharkie
In the next decade, I envision a fully inclusive community that embodies the social model of disability, where people are empowered, not hindered, by their environment. The foundation for this transformative change lies in education.
By integrating disability awareness into the national school curriculum, we can ensure that students not only recognise but actively work to remove barriers within their control. This early intervention is vital in shaping an inclusive mindset that students carry into adulthood. Such an education will equip them with the confidence and skills needed to create a community where inclusivity is the norm.
Misconceptions and negative attitudes often pose greater challenges than physical or functional limitations. By fostering empathy and understanding from a young age, we can cultivate a society that values and includes all its members. Parliament has a significant role to play in realising this vision.
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I urge the next parliament, particularly the Minister of Education and the Minister for Human Services, to collaborate in embedding Disability Awareness into the national school curriculum. This initiative would not only promote inclusivity but also ensure that the next generation is equipped to build and sustain a community where everyone can thrive.
Teesha, 14
Read in parliament by Member for Boothby Louise Miller-Frost
Hello, I’m Teesha, a 14-year-old. Today, I want to share a vision for our community in the next decade. In ten years, I envision a community where every individual can afford a decent standard of living without constant financial stress. Right now, the high cost of living is squeezing families and individuals, making it hard to cover basic needs like housing, healthcare, and groceries.
This issue impacts us all—whether it’s struggling to pay rent, worrying about medical bills, or choosing between food and other necessities. It’s critical because everyone deserves financial security and the chance to thrive.
To achieve this, I believe the next Parliament should focus on measures that reduce living costs and support those struggling the most. This could include increasing the affordability of housing, improving access to quality healthcare, and providing financial relief for low-income families.
In summary, reducing the cost of living is essential for building a fairer and more secure community. Let’s work together to create a future where financial stress is a thing of the past. I urge Parliament to prioritise these changes to ensure everyone has the opportunity to lead a better life. Thank you.
Aarav, 11
Read in parliament by Senator Don Farrell
Dear Members of Parliament, my name is Aarav Seshadri. I am 11 years old, and I study in Year 6 at Westminster School, South Australia. When I think of my community in 10 years, I see a bright, happy and sustainable place. A big part of sustainability is controlling how much rubbish goes to landfill.
The parliament could work with local councillors to organise community drives where residents can swap or give away their unwanted household items or toys, instead of them going to landfill. This will also bring the community closer. In a busy country with people always on the move, many don’t actually know their neighbours. This is an added benefit, especially for older people who may be lonely at times.
Making soft plastic recycling centres more accessible is also very important because 70 per cent of all plastic thrown away is soft plastic. The government could educate, support and promote sustainable packaging which will also help to reduce waste. Using sustainable and recycled materials for playgrounds and benches is a great way to reuse waste, and it makes new fun places for the community to enjoy.
Making our country more sustainable is important for the economy and everyone who lives here, including our diverse wildlife. With the right steps we can make our future greener.
Dana, 13
Read in parliament by Senator Barbara Pocock
My name is Dana, and I am 13 years old. I stand here today and say that we should build homes for homeless people.
This will make sure they have a place to keep warm and not sleep on the side of the road or on the footpath. Instead, every person has the right to have shelter and to stay safe, so I say every single person deserves a home once and for all. In the meantime, the government has something called a code blue, when it’s way too cold for homeless people to sleep on the side of the road or on the footpath. Instead, they can go to a hotel to keep warm, but these spots can be limited.
What I’m trying to say is that no one should be living in the streets anymore, not now – not anytime! So, I say no more homeless people should live on the streets! I think of the homeless people that sleep on the footpath in winter, they might also get hypothermia if we don’t act fast.
Change a homeless person’s life by giving them the chance to live somewhere, by doing that you’re a hero and the homeless people, and wider communities, will be so grateful for you doing that and for giving each homeless people a home. We need to act fast before the cold winters hit again next year! Thank you, Parliament, for hearing and understanding my voice!
Edith, 15
Read in parliament by Senator Sarah Hanson-Young
I’m Edith, a 15-year-old girl from the Mayo electorate and the world now looks terrible. The topic of this speech was supposed to be what I want my community to look like in ten years, but things being as they are, I struggle to see a positive world.
Living is getting harder for everyone, and we are leaving people behind. A world that is positive in ten years can only start now. Never mind ten years, without immediate action, there is no future to wish for. I want to live in a world where everyone can afford to survive, but that may never happen without us working for that tomorrow. I want support for people who need it to be readily available when I’m an adult, but I need that now to see that happening.
Working to fund services such as Centrelink, making them accessible to contact, payments clear and timely, and working to hear and fix other problems flagged by the people affected. And that needs to happen now. A world in ten years is too far to hope for. Yet it can’t be far enough. Working for the future only leads to putting off issues for my generation. Working for tomorrow may get anything done.