I would like to note the passing of the great Australian playwright and poet, Dorothy Hewitt, who died of breast cancer on the weekend. Breast cancer affects one in 10 Australian women.

This evening, I would like to speak about an important event which is unfolding in my electorate of Calwell. A few weeks ago I wrote to the mayor of the city of Hume, which falls within my electorate of Calwell, proposing that we bid for the acquisition of Melbourne's Centenary of Federation Arch.

I rise to bring to the attention of the House the outstanding work of a local supported employment training provider in my electorate of Calwell, Brite Industries of Belfast Street in Broadmeadows.

I thank the parliament for the opportunity to discuss this difficult and challenging matter of juvenile depression and youth suicide. As a parent it is an issue that I feel strongly about, and as a politician I feel it is my responsibility to say something about youth suicide because as policy and decision makers we have the capacity and the responsibility to do something about it.

I bring to the attention of the Committee a new program being run across a number of Victorian primary and secondary schools. It is called the Schools Breakfast Program and it was implemented in April this year with schools providing breakfast for those children who otherwise would go without.

Never is there a more critical passage for a nation than when its leaders make a decision to go to war.