Treasurer Ben Wyatt yesterday visited students from the Shooting Stars’ site in Laverton.
Minister Wyatt toured the program’s new site, based at Laverton School. It is the second site in the Goldfields region and the eighth Shooting Stars site in Western Australia.
Laverton is located 957 km northeast of Perth, and 124 km northeast of the Shooting Stars site in Leonora. Minister Wyatt is of Yamatiji heritage and spent time in Laverton as a child, attending Laverton Primary School. He met with Shooting Stars students, sharing his experiences and welcoming questions in a Q & A.
The Laverton site is supported by the Gold Industry Group and Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, which will ensure the sustainability of the program beyond 2019.
Shooting Stars’ aims to make positive change in the lives of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls attending Laverton School, by using netball and other engagement strategies to drive greater, attendance and positive participation at school.
Fran Haintz, Executive Officer of Shooting Stars, said she hoped the visit would inspire the Laverton students.
“It was a great opportunity for our girls to meet with Minister Wyatt,” said Haintz.
“As a Yamatiji man and Member of Parliament, we hope he will inspire our girls to believe that the sky is the limit.”
To celebrate the visit, the Gold Industry Group gifted netballs to the Shooting Stars participants.
