Page 4421 - Week 12 - Thursday, 24 October 2019

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I will take time to read some of what Aamena has written for us:

I want to take a moment to express how lucky I am to have had the chance of partaking in the Girls Take Over Parliament program, which is run by Jasiri. Taking part in this program has allowed me to further my knowledge of politics and provided me with many opportunities to establish well-known connections with some incredible people.

This week I’ve have had the pleasure of taking over Mark Parton’s office. It has been a fantastic experience to gain first-hand knowledge on a day-to-day insight into the life of a MLA. I have gained a lot of knowledge about the Legislative Assembly as well as the work that is done every day.

I find it amazing to see first-hand the work that goes into building a better future for Canberra. Being from a diverse background and migrating to Canberra, I have found that there are many extraordinary opportunities for people like me and as well as local Canberrans. I want to express my kindest regards to Mark and his team for welcoming me to their office and making me feel and part of the team.

And I would also like to say a massive thank you to Caitlin and her team at Jasiri for making this opportunity possible for us. I also would strongly encourage all the young women out there who have dreams or want to make a change to take part in this program. You will be provided with many excellent possibilities and gain a lot of knowledge and experience throughout the entire program.

With the skills I have gained, I have now been able to apply them already in my everyday life. So I would like to thank my mentors and everyone I have worked alongside to help me reach my goals. It has been amazing to have met likeminded people and form friendships that I hope to last for a long time. Without them, I would not be here today. I can’t express enough how lucky I am to have taken part in this program and how it has helped me become confident and to stand up for what I believe in and make a change to the future of our nation.

Aamena is not here today only because she had some uni commitments.

Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders—domestic and family violence

MS LE COUTEUR (Murrumbidgee) (6.15): I rise today to speak about a forum I recently attended, hosted by Beryl Women, to continue the NAIDOC theme of “Voice, treaty, truth”. The forum focused on how these themes resonate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women subjected to a risk of domestic and family violence. The panel of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women included magistrate Louise Taylor; Robyn Martin, who is the CEO of Beryl; Kim Davison, CEO of Gugan Gulwan; Leah House, case manager for Mulleun Mura at the Women’s Legal Centre; and Karen Parter from the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Alliance, also a Beryl board member.

I am aware that what they had to say was not new news for many, but for some, including me, the reality is still shocking. We know that Aboriginal and Torres Strait


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