The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Milton Dick MP and Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester have launched the “My First Speech” Competition for Gippsland Electorate schools.
This national competition challenges students in years 10, 11, and 12 to envision themselves as newly elected Members of the House of Representatives and record a 90-second speech on video, focusing on a topic of their choosing.
The winning entrant from each year group, accompanied by a parent or guardian, will be flown to Canberra to deliver their speeches live at Parliament House and participate in an engaging program tailored to deepen their understanding of the legislative process.
Mr Chester said the “My First Speech” Competition is an exciting opportunity for local Gippsland students to shine a national spotlight on the issues that matter most to them.
“The students participating in this competition will be our local leaders of tomorrow, and I am excited to give them a head start on their futures with this program,” he said.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Milton Dick, said promoting parliamentary education to students across the country has been a key priority as Speaker.
“The “My First Speech” Competition is yet another exciting way that young people can take an active role in our democratic system,” Mr Dick said.
“This competition will provide high school students with the chance to learn more about the way our nation’s democracy works and how actively engaging with the parliamentary process can draw attention to the issues that are most important to them.”
The submission deadline for the competition is set for 11:59pm AEST on July 27, 2024.
To learn more about the competition and submit their entries, students can visit the dedicated competition website: www.aph.gov.au/myfirstspeech.
