NORTHERN SCHOOLS LEADERSHIP DAY

Mr ODENWALDER (Little Para) (15:52): I rise today to pay tribute to some emerging leaders in a couple of the primary schools in my local area. Last Monday, I had the great pleasure, along with the member for Taylor, to attend and to speak at the Northern Schools Leadership Day, a joint initiative of the Elizabeth Grove and Elizabeth South primary schools. The aim of the day was to foster and encourage leadership among primary school children, both within the schools and more broadly within their local community.

Both of these schools, while they are excellent schools with innovative leadership and a great bunch of kids, exist within an area of significant disadvantage. I was particularly proud as a local boy, having gone to a school just nearby, to see so many kids with such ambition, and not only ambition but a real desire to do good in their own communities and help others.

Many of these kids are already leaders and volunteers in their schools and communities. They are helping their teachers with other kids, assisting with literacy and numeracy. They are volunteering for local sports clubs and community groups, and some of them whom I spoke to are even involved in programs to help educate other kids about personal and community safety.

Throughout the course of the morning, it was evident that these kids had a clear idea of what community leadership meant. Through my discussions with them, we established that leadership is not about who can shout the loudest or push the hardest. They decided that leadership is not about bullying and pushing each other around or pushing other people around, and it is definitely not always about being right and knowing more than everyone else.

They all agreed that leadership is mainly about helping others and showing those people around you how to achieve their best. It was inspiring. They also decided it was about making decisions and doing things that make other people's lives better, and giving those people the strength and confidence to be the best they can be. So, as I say, it was an inspiring morning.

The lead coach of the mighty Central District Football Club, Roy Laird, also spoke to the kids about leadership and teamwork. Many of the boys particularly, but not exclusively the boys, aspire to be professional footballers, and they made that absolutely clear throughout the morning. The input of Roy Laird was very much appreciated and particularly inspiring.

At the end of the day, during which the children participated in various team building and problem solving exercises, premier Mike Rann officially closed the day. This was a surprise to many there, including some of the school leadership. The children and the school community were really pleased that the Premier could make it. He spoke at length about his own journey and spoke to the children about the importance of having goals and dreams and never losing sight of these goals.

I visited the Elizabeth Grove Primary School this week and spoke with the principal, Moya Wellman. She told me that the children really got a lot out of the day and, most importantly, they are passing on what they have learnt to other students around them and inspiring their peers to show leadership and to volunteer in various capacities.

It is my sincere hope that these kinds of events continue and grow—and I certainly want to be a part of it—and that we continue to see leadership development in our local schools as a priority. I commend Mrs Wellman and the school leadership for organising this event and inspiring the students to bigger and better things. I also acknowledge the efforts of the member for Taylor in getting behind the event and actively supporting leadership development in the primary schools in her area.