Wyatt Roy MP Addresses Inaugural Bradfield Student Leadership Forum at Turramurra High School

Federal Liberal National Party MP Wyatt Roy, the youngest person in the federal parliament, addressed student leaders at yesterday’s inaugural Bradfield School Leadership Forum about his experiences as a young Australian leader, and the lessons for other young people in leadership positions.

Hosted by Turramurra High School partnering with Paul Fletcher MP, Member for Bradfield, the forum gave over 40 student leaders from Turramurra, Killara and St Ives High Schools the opportunity to hear from and speak with an outstanding young Australian leader.

Wyatt Roy was elected to the House of Representatives for the Sunshine Coast seat of Longman at the 2010 Federal Election at the age of 20 – making him the youngest person ever to be elected to the House of Representatives.

Wyatt spoke to the students about his journey into federal politics and the issues he is concentrating on at the national political level.  Noting that he and the assembled students (mostly aged 16 to 18) were members of the same generation, Wyatt also discussed some of the challenges their generation would face as they became the dominant group in the workforce in coming years – particularly with demographic change likely to increase the dependency ratio (the ratio of those out of the workforce to those in the workforce.)

In the question and answer session, Wyatt was asked a number of questions including how he deals with the media; why he joined the Liberal Party; and the Coalition's policy on asylum seekers arriving by boat.

 ‘Issues such as disability reform, refugee policy and our response to climate change are issues that resonate with me very strongly, both as a younger Australian and one who wants a strong future for this country.’ Mr Roy said.

‘I was very impressed by the quality of student leaders who attended the forum.  They showed great insight, passion and humour in their comments and questions’, Paul Fletcher, Member for Bradfield said.

Turramurra High School Captain Mitchell Bazzana said ‘Wyatt Roy was an impressive speaker who proved to us, that no matter your age, you can be a leader.’

‘On behalf of Turramurra High, I would like to thank Mr Roy for speaking to us and to Mr Fletcher for organising the event’.