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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-10-28 Daily Xml
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Reynell Electorate

Ms HILDYARD (Reynell) (15:43): I rise today to speak about an extraordinary group of young women in Reynell, women whom I have had the pleasure of meeting and talking with on many occasions over the past few years: those who attend the young mums class connected to Christies Beach High School.

There are many, many reasons that I love talking with these young women, which I will detail, but I also want to put on record from the outset that, as well as visiting these young women in their classroom, it is always such a pleasure to meet and spend time with their beautiful babies and young children too.

We often say in this place that we are inspired by people and, for many different reasons, we of course are. I am absolutely inspired by these young women. It is hard to find another group of people so strong, so resilient and so very determined. Many of these young women have gone through a lot—some really difficult circumstances—and continue to do so. Each of their stories is different but there are elements common to every one of those stories. Without exception, they are devoted to their beautiful, delightful children. Their love for them drives them in all that they do.

During my most recent visit, I was asking the women about how their studies were going. Many of them are at various stages of their SACE and others have, whilst completing their SACE, begun studying various vocational certificate courses in community services and other disciplines. We spoke a lot about the challenges that come with juggling the raising of children and undertaking study.

In different ways they spoke about how determined they are to complete their studies and that having a child has made them even more so, that they had a sense that they wanted to do their study for their child, to show them what was possible and to ensure future pathways for them and their children. Their courage and their determination, often in the face of adversity, is inspiring indeed.

There were other elements of each conversation that were common. Sadly, almost every one of them had experienced the most extreme difficulties with accessing secure, affordable housing. One young woman reported to me that she had attended around 40 open inspections without success. She does not have a vehicle and was catching buses to each of those inspections.

Another, after months and months of her and her partner trying to secure public housing for them and their baby, was finally told that a house was available—at Elizabeth. This woman goes to school in Christies Beach. Her and her partner's networks are all in the south. She accepted the house, determined to catch even more buses to keep connected with her learning and with her family's networks. She also accepted it because she understood that, should she not, it would be extraordinarily difficult for her to secure another.

This story was absolutely common amongst these outstanding young women and it begs the question: why can this government not do better for these young women and their children? These are young women who have done everything possible to build a secure future for their family, young women who, in the face of adversity, have shown courage and perseverance and, above all else, love for their children in all that they do.

Another thing which was common and which was also raised by their teachers and other support staff—and this is an issue that I will take up on their behalf with the Minister for Education—is that whilst these students can be transported by teachers in their cars or other school vehicles, the insurance provisions, as I understand it, through the education department mean that their babies and young children cannot be transported with them in teachers' cars or any school vehicle. It means that those who are there to support them can, in reality, never help with their transport.

We should be doing everything possible to ease the burden on these remarkable young women and to help facilitate their ongoing learning and care for their children, not making things harder. I am known to cry at many school graduations. I find them deeply moving, hopeful and always fine celebrations of young people, their hard work and leadership. I very much look forward to this year's young mums' graduation. It is always absolutely a celebration of courage, leadership, sheer hard work, possibility and an acknowledgement of how important these young women are, of how much they and their voices matter, and of what a difference they can make.

I hope that I can attend this year's graduation with news about resolution of this vehicle issue. At this graduation, as well as acknowledging these young women, I will also certainly be thanking their incredible teachers, support workers and the many other staff who make up the flexible learning centre and who work tirelessly with, and for, these young women to support them and their children.

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