Anne Stanley amplifies the voices of Joanna and Zartasha

Joining the 2024 Youth Voice in Parliament campaign, Anne Stanley (Member for Werriwa, NSW) amplified the voices of Joanna on supporting women in sports and Zartasha on lowering Indigenous incarceration rates. Speech transcript is below -
Joanna -
'The more we can empower women in sports, the more we can change the world. This quote by Billie Jean King shows the power of supporting female athletes. Yet, in our community, many young women and girls encounter significant barriers to participating in sports. My name is Joanna, I am 15 years old from the electorate of Werriwa.
Over the past few years, there has been a decrease in female participation in sports within our community. Many young women and girls face challenges related to gender inequality and safety concerns. Females have limited opportunities in our community to play sports in male-dominated spaces, where they often feel unsupported. We must create an environment where every young woman has the opportunity to succeed in sports.
So, what can Parliament do to lead this change? We need to ensure that all sports environments are safe and protect all athletes, particularly women, from harassment and discrimination. Furthermore, we need to change the idea of gender stereotypes in sports that discourage female participation. This includes promoting gender-neutral language, so that sports are simply referred to as 'sports' without gendered labels like 'womens sports' or 'mens sports'.
Australia has always been a land of opportunity and equality. By acting now, we can create the next generation where young women are supported and given equal opportunities in sports. Thank you!'
Zartasha -
'In a nation that prides itself on justice and equality, how can we ignore the glaring overrepresentation of Indigenous voices in our criminal justice system? Statistics from BOCSAR and ABS reveal that 66.4% of young offenders in remand or detention are Indigenous Australians, an alarming figure that demands urgent action. The disproportionate rates of crime in rural and remote areas highlight the severe lack of accessibility to essential services, exacerbating the problem. Over the next decade, I call on parliament to intensify research into the underlying causes of crimes committed by Indigenous people and to prioritise strategies that reduce incarceration rates and promote rehabilitation. Successful initiatives, such as the Justice Reinvestment NSW program in Bourke, which significantly reduced driving offences and domestic violence, demonstrate the power of culturally-informed counselling services tailored to Indigenous needs. Additionally, expanding the use of youth justice conferences for a broader range of offences can make a profound difference, as seen in Victoria, where recidivism rates for young Indigenous offenders are notably lower than in NSW. These approaches offer a clear path forward. We must confront this injustice head-on, committing to a future where the criminal justice system protects and serves all citizens, not just the privileged few. The time to act is now.'