On Tuesday, 16^th February, Yr 10 HASS students headed off-campus for an exciting excursion into West Australian politics.

“We first went to The West Australian Electoral Commission and learnt about preferential voting through doing our own vote on our favourite fast food. We then went to Parliament House and got a tour from Michael and learnt about the structure and history of parliament and met John McGrath. This excursion helped me understand more about parliament by helping me visualise it.”

• William Farrell

“On Tuesday 16th February, my class went to the West Australian Electoral Commission at Parliament House. We learnt about preferential voting and why it important for us to vote. At Parliament House, we learnt about the structure and history of Western Australian Parliament. Two important people we met were Michael, who was an old Aquinian, and John McGrath who is the Member for South Perth.”

• Luc Dewar

“On Tuesday 16^th of February my class went to State Parliament to assist our learning of politics. The first location we visited was the Western Australian Electoral Commission where I learnt how preferential worked throughout Australia. After that great experience my class went to Parliament house and explored the upper and lower house. From this experience, it improved my learning of politics because seeing the Parliament in person gives you more of an understanding of the topic.”

• Nicholas Naso

“The first place we went to was the Western Australian Electoral Commission and we looked at how preferential voting works. The second place we went to for the day was the Parliament house. At the parliament house, we learnt a lot of interesting stuff. We learnt about the structure and history of parliament. Our tour guide, Michael, was an old Aquinian and very knowledgeable. We also met John McGrath who is a member of South Perth.”

• Joel Ukich

“The day was very hot, the sky was very blue, and the birds were chirping. We started the day by meeting Mr Brown and Mrs Swingler at the front of the castle. We headed to the Western Australia electoral commission where we had morning tea and a kick of the football. We continued our excursion to go inside the Western Australia electoral commission, there we were greeted by Jenny to learn about the voting system in Australia. Our day then continued with us going to King's Park for a quick lunch. Then we headed to the Parliament house where we were greeted by Michael who is an old Aquinian, we learnt about the structure and history of the parliament house and why the lower house had blue carpet instead of green. We also met John McGrath who is a member of South Perth.”

• Taj Lockyer

“On Tuesday, my class went to the Western Australian Electoral Commission and Parliament House. We learnt about the history of Western Australia's government and past leaders. We also got to look at the upper house which was pretty cool. My favourite part of the day was getting lunch at King's Park, because I got a really good sandwich there, and getting to look at an old painting of my hometown from the 1960s in Parliament House.”

• Shea Dall

“We started off meeting Mr Brown and Mrs Swingler at the front of the castle. We then went on the bus to West Perth and met a lady who showed us a video about how voting works. We then went to the Parliament House and an Old Aquinian told us a bit about the parliament. We went to the front of the parliament house and got some minties and juice. then we went back to the bus and went back to school and spent the last two periods at school.”

• Lachy Jonsen

“We got up early and waited at the front of the school with Mr Brown And Mrs Swingler who came and picked us up with the school bus, then we all hopped in the bus and started heading to the Parliament House in West Perth. We met an instructor named Michael who was an Old Aquinian. My favourite part was seeing all the Indigenous art on the walls in the parliament house and buying lunch at a cafe.”

• Iziahia Patrick

“First, we went to the Western Australian Electoral Commission Parliament and watched a video about voting and then we did an activity where we completed a preferential vote. We then had some morning tea. After morning tea, we went to Parliament House and met Michael, who is an Old Aquinian, and talked to us about Parliament. My favourite part of the day was when we had a look at the Indigenous Room and talked to John McGrath.”

• Matthew Gilkison