National Walk Safely to School Day

Hansard ID: HANSARD-1323879322-105410

Hansard session: Fifty-Seventh Parliament, First Session (57-1)

National Walk Safely to School Day

Mr MARK COURE (Oatley) (13:22:00):

Before an anterior cruciate ligament [ACL] tear, on Friday 17 May I had the pleasure of lacing up my walking shoes and joining the students of Mortdale Public School, including my son James, for the National Walk Safely to School Day. The event aims to raise awareness of the health, road safety, transport and environmental benefits that walking—especially to and from school—can provide for the long-term wellbeing of our children. Many schools in my electorate and across the State participated in the National Walk Safely to School Day and I am proud that many students have continued this healthy lifestyle choice.

Apart from the physical benefits, regular walking has also had a favourable impact on their academic performance. This year the annual event celebrated its twentieth anniversary. The event has encouraged countless students over those years to build walking into their daily routine. I thank the Pedestrian Council of Australia for its continued promotion of improved diets, positive environmental action and better use of public transport with reduced car dependency and for a vitally important road safety message that, until they are 10, children must always hold the hand of an adult when crossing the road.