Marles talks civics during St Joseph’s visit

DEPUTY Prime Minister and Corio federal member Richard Marles was put under the spotlight with some tough questions during a visit to St Joseph’s College on Wednesday last week.

Students in the Year 10 Civics & Citizenship class held a Q&A session with the long-time MP – who was Acting Prime Minister at the time – as part of their politics and legal studies this term.

The lively session covered a broad range of topics, including the environment and engine emissions, Australia’s commitment to the Ukraine, urban poverty and the major issues facing Geelong.

Mr Marles said the students posed insightful and insightful and thought-provoking questions, and he enjoyed being put through his paces.

“I made the mistake of not reading the questions beforehand… but I was thinking the questions would be easy and they were not,” he said.

“They were really good questions and it spoke, I think, to the thoughtfulness of the kids about the way they think about their community and the way they think about their future and the way they are thinking about the world.

“If that is an example of the level of thought which is going on amongst our young people in this town we should have a lot of confidence about the future.”

He said it was a pleasure to visit St Joseph’s.

“St Joseph’s College has been a great school for our region for a very long time. Over generations the school has been providing excellent education for young men.

“You only have to look at the St Joeys alumni to understand the contribution that it’s made to Geelong.

“In lots of ways St Joeys is a really, really important school for our town.”

St Joseph’s College teacher Jackson Langhorne said Geelong MP Christine Couzens and Member for Western Victoria Beverley McArthur had previously visited St Joseph’s to discuss their roles as state government MPs.

“This time I thought ‘let’s try to go federal’ and Richard Marles was generous enough to say yes to the opportunity.

“I appreciate he is a busy person and the fact he is taking time out to speak to a group of Year 10s who are beginning their life journeys is reassuring, especially in the times we are living in.”