Glenwood Public School

Dr ANDREW McDONALD (Macquarie Fields) [2.17 p.m.]: Last year I spoke of the excellent audiovisual work being done at Glenwood Public School in my electorate. For that reason I am pleased to report Glenwood Public School's movie Free, Free At Last was selected as a finalist in the inaugural Trop Junior competition this year. I have recently visited the school and seen this excellent movie. An offshoot of the world-renowned Tropfest, Trop Junior is a showcase for young filmmakers 15 years and under. Written, directed and starring Japonica Mauala of year 4 in 2007, Free, Free At Last is a horror story about a girl who wakes up in a dungeon. She runs a gamut of emotions until a surprising encounter reveals all. The script is based on a short story she wrote last year after she was sent to her room for not eating her dinner. It is an excellent movie—I do not know if I ever will be able to look at onions again!

Japonica wants to be something to do with movie making when she finishes school. Her crew—fellow students Ryan Southwell, Jacquiline and Neil Cuizon, Brian Bokalawela, Hayley Banks and Simon Fitsum, all deserve a special mention. Eight finalists were chosen from 80 entries from all over Australia. At nine years old, Japonica is the youngest of them. The film was a collaborative effort, with production work, such as editing, special effects, music and animation being undertaken by the other students I have mentioned. Instrumental in the success of the film has been the creative input of Neil Cuizon of year 6, who conceived many of the special effects as well as completing the lion's share of the editing.

Filming locations included an actual dungeon, to be found under the Liverpool TAFE, formerly the Liverpool asylum. Japonica had to break off completing the editing to attend official duties as the "Matai" or Princess, in her ancestral village in Samoa! Her father and grandfather are chiefs in their village. Even better was the news that last year's Glenwood shortlisted film, The Sorrow of War, was said by Tropfest managing director Michael Laverty to be a pivotal step for the creation of Trop Junior this year. They said that he had been considering the idea for some years, but seeing The Sorrow of War convinced him that this was a worthwhile project.

I have previously mentioned this DVD and recommend it to members of the House whose primary schools have any interest in filmmaking. The driving force for this has been Tom Gough at Glenwood Public School. Tom is typical of many of our teachers. They have an amazing influence over the life of our society and the future of our children, yet all too often they are unheralded and unthanked. Any teacher who can have a seven year old—such as Zak Hackett—walking around the house quoting Henry V with passion and believing he is Henry V is a gifted teacher and community leader. I am sure we can empathise with Zak as many in this House also seem to think they are Henry V when they speak!

The skills Japonica and her friends have learned will be with them for life and will enrich our local community for many years. Japonica did not win—she was beaten by an excellent film from a year 11 student—but even better was this wonderful young lady's reaction to not winning. Her next film script was produced the following day. It is about a girl who was nominated for TropJunior and gets a big head after being showered with attention from the press, but who does not win and subsequently achieves new insight into herself as a person and into the feelings of those around her. The title, All That and a Bag of Chips, would be an excellent title for a political memoir. Japonica has provided me with an inspiring insight that I wanted to share with all members of the House. She and her friends are wonderful young people. Their parents should be extremely proud of them. I publicly thank Tom and all the staff at the Glenwood Public School for their work. Japonica and her classmates will grow nearly to adulthood on the watch of this Parliament—reminding all members why we are here.