For most people the mention of the word budget prompts images of page after page of numbers and the need for a quick overview but, for one Burdekin student, last week’s state budget heralded a unique opportunity.

Ayr State High School’s Sophie Robertson was one of 47 high school students from across the state who got to witness the hustle and bustle of budget day firsthand at Parliament House in Brisbane before catching up with Member for Burdekin, Dale Last MP.

“It’s great to see one of our local students provided with this opportunity because most people will never have the level of access that Sophie and other students enjoyed, especially on budget day,” Mr Last said.  “From meeting the Premier to taking part in their own mock budget media lock-up and watching the delivery of the budget from the public gallery, it really is an all-access pass.”

“This is a new initiative that is designed to both educate and empower our future leaders.  The fact is that the decisions made during the budget process, and in parliament, have a direct effect on the state’s future and the younger generation deserve the opportunity to understand how and why those decisions are made.”

Sophie was joined by students from schools throughout regional Queensland including Longreach, Cloncurry, Chinchilla, Tara, Mount Isa, Mackay, Gladstone, Gympie, Sunshine Coast, Scenic Rim, and Brisbane.

The students engaged in interactive workshops, behind-the-scenes tours and watched the State Budget being delivered to gain a better understanding of the economy and how they can help shape Queensland’s future.

Premier David Crisafulli said this was an exciting opportunity for the students.

“From Far North to Western Queensland and throughout the South East, we wanted to give students from across the State the opportunity to learn how the Budget is developed and how it will improve the lives of Queenslanders.

"It was an honour to meet the students at Queensland Parliament to help them understand our Budget and the impact it will have, before they take what they learn back to school to share with their classmates.”

Minister for Education John-Paul Langbroek said the new initiative would help students gain valuable insights into the Budget process.  “Today’s students are tomorrow’s future leaders and it’s exciting to give them a behind-the-scenes look at the Budget,” he said.

Mr Last said the delivery of over $4.7 Million in infrastructure upgrades to schools in the Burdekin electorate illustrated the Crisafulli government’s commitment to education.