Mount View High Student Ryan Dixon at the 24th National Schools Constitutional Convention

Ryan Dixon may have helped changing the Australian Constitution. He attended the 24th National Schools Constitutional Convention last week. 120 students from across Australia met at the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House and discussed whether Australia needs a new constitutional preamble. Working in several groups they came up with a variety of suggestions. Ryan’s group suggested a text that would acknowledge Indigenous Australians. “We felt the only way to truly represent what Australia is, is that we’re all in this together,” Ryan said. “That is the Australia we all want to see.”

His group’s work was presented to Senator Sue Lines, Deputy President of the Senate, later to be tabled in Parliament. “I’d be extremely proud if I could change the Australian Constitution at 17,” Ryan said.

Ryan was also the winner of the Secondary Scholarship 2018 from ADFAS Pokolbin.
Photo: Heather McKendry