ABC Takeover Burnie

Hello Takeover Winners and esteemed guests!

Before I begin, I want to acknowledge the Palawa people of the Pataway nation, who are the Traditional Owners of the land on which we have all gathered here tonight.

I pay my respects to Elders past and present and recognise all First Nations people connected to the land and who are present at this event.

I want to start by congratulating our incredible winners here tonight, as well as everyone who entered the Takeover competition in Burnie.

I also want to acknowledge the power of storytelling, and how brave it is of you to share such inspiring and personal stories.

Everyone loves a story. It’s why we love films, books, podcasts, or even sharing tales with our friends and family.

Most of the content we consume and conversations we have are made up of different people’s stories and experiences.

But often, the stories we tell aren’t our own. They’re stories we’ve been told or ones that aren’t about ourselves.

It isn’t easy to talk about your own struggles or learnings, but there’s strength in showing that vulnerability like you all have tonight.

You never know who may be able to relate to your story, or who it may inspire.

Whether it’s a sibling, friend, classmate, or even a parent, sharing your thoughts, feelings and experiences can have a real influence on those around you.

And sharing these stories can also have a real impact on the world around you.

You all are the future of not only Burnie, but our nation.

You’re our next generation of journalists, scientists, politicians, engineers, or teachers. Wherever else your career takes you.

And wherever it does take you, you’ll have a real impact on the future of Australia.

The stories that you’ve shared, and every other story that you have to tell, will inspire those around you and help create real  change to the world.

That is why programs such as Takeover are so important – it gives our young people a voice.

A chance to raise your concerns and tell your stories from a firsthand account.

Giving Australia’s youth a voice is something that I’m passionate about.

My role as the Minister for Youth is to build stronger connections between the Government and young people, and I’m proud to see that the Takeover program is doing exactly that.

For the past two years, it’s been a privilege for the Albanese Government to support this program and hear stories from young people right across the country.

I’m excited that this support will be continuing until 2028.

Now, I have the pleasure of introducing some of the stories.

Next up we have Lane, Phoenix, Jackson, Mya, Ryan, Sanuli, Luke, and Calais.