Casey’s Australia Day Study Tour Award recipients met with Federal Opposition leader Kevin Rudd and Holt MP Anthony Byrne during their visit to Parliament House in Canberra.A GROUP of Casey students last week met with Federal Opposition leader Kevin Rudd during their visit to Parliament House in Canberra.
The 10 students awarded this year’s Australia Day Study Tour Award visited Mr Rudd in his Parliament House office, along with Holt MP Anthony Byrne and a television crew filming Mr Rudd for the day.
Students took the opportunity to ask Mr Rudd questions ranging from his opinion on climate change to what he would do if he became prime minister.
Mr Rudd said he was very impressed with the students’ questions, which he said were harder than many of those put to him by the press gallery.
“The City of Casey students were terrific ambassadors for their community,” Mr Rudd said.
“The students were engaged, informed and very entertaining.
“I really enjoyed my discussion with the students and would welcome them back anytime.”
Mr Byrne was also impressed, saying the parents and families of the students should be very proud.
“It was great to meet with these intelligent, vibrant young people who come from schools around my electorate and to be able to share my experiences of life as a politician,” he said.
The Australia Day Study Tour is awarded to 10 young people in the City of Casey each year.
The recipients are nominated by schools or employers and then selected via an interview process.
During the year students visit local government, State and Federal Parliament, and are at times called upon to be part of youth consultations and focus groups looking at issues related to young people.
This year’s Australia Day Study Tour Award recipients were Jeff Douglass from Hillcrest Secondary College, Lucia Santangelo and Rhys Ford from Berwick Secondary College, Alison Van Beers from St Margaret’s School, Jayde Robertson and E1liza Kelly from Narre Warren South P-12 College, Christie Dowell from Lyndhurst Secondary College, Timothy Gill from St Peters College, Jess Betteridge from Kambrya College and Emily Wilhelms from Doveton Secondary College.
