Susan Templeman amplifies Abby's voice on the cost of living

Joining the 2026 Raise Our Voice in Parliament campaign, Susan Templeman (Member for Macquarie, NSW) amplified the voice of 17-year-old Abby on the cost of living. Speech template below - My name is Abby and I am 17. When I was younger, I imagined a future filled with flying cars that would self drive, jackpacks that would take kids to school, regular holidays to the moon, and civilisations beneath the sea. I thought that we would see a society that was constantly moving forwards; however, this is not the case when I think of the future now. Instead, I think of questions that I believe I shouldn’t have to think about just yet. Will I ever be able to afford a home? Will i be able to by food without checking the price? Will I be able to earn the income required by the ever-evolving status of our society to support not only myself, but one day a family? The cost of living crisis in Australia is something that is not only prevalent for the adults of today but is also shaping the fears for the adults of tomorrow. At 17 years old, I don’t think I should be afraid of growing up, nevertheless, I am. I am afraid that, instead of wondering what remarkable innovations my generation may make that could create a profound change in our society, I am left wondering whether I will be able to afford to live comfortably in Australia's future. The ability to own a house, shop for food, and ensure a stable income are things that I hope future Australians will experience as ordinary parts of life and not privileges that are only achieved through extensive planning, saving, and sacrifice. I strongly believe that with extensive consideration, action, and compassion, parliament has a significant ability to change what the future of my generation and the ones after see when they think of the future of Australia. The reduction of energy costs, the increased affordability of houses, and assistance with financial support will help the Australians of today and tomorrow achieve the dream of living a comfortable life. And while I know ideas and actions such as these are in affect they have yet to seek the desirable target, in which change is made. The future is inevitable. What it looks like is certainly not.