Louise Miller-Frost amplifies Teesha's voice on civics education

Joining the 2026 Raise Our Voice in Parliament campaign, Louise Miller-Frost (Member for Boothby, SA) amplified 16-year-old Teesha's voice on civics education. Speech transcript below: Mr. Speaker, civics can only function when people understand how it works. Yet only 28% of Australian Year 10 students met the proficient standard for civics knowledge. This is not just a statistic – this represents thousands of young Aussies who may enter adulthood without the confidence or understanding to participate in our democracy, to participate in shaping our future. Young Australians are truly passionate about having a voice. However, 38% state that politics is simply too complicated. Moreover, passion must be supported by understanding. Without strong civic knowledge, young people are struggling to understand how civics works Through my involvement in National Youth Parliament and youth leadership opportunities, I have seen firsthand that when young people are given the tools to understand civics, they do not lack ideas – they have solutions. What they need is the knowledge and more opportunities to turn those ideas into action. Mr. Speaker, we must strengthen Australia's existing civics education by making it more engaging, practical and relevant. While civics is already part of the Australian Curriculum, students must genuinely connect with the content through hands-on learning opportunities and by incorporating young people's feedback to improve these resources. Furthermore, digital literacy must be taught alongside civics education, equipping students to identify misinformation and navigate Australia's democracy with confidence. Investing in civic education is investing in the future of decision making. A strong democracy requires more than citizen who can vote – it requires citizens who understand their power to create change."