Australia could have its first Indigenous Prime Minister within a generation - that's the message of a new campaign involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students across the country.
More than 700 high-school students have submitted a video recording of the speech they'd give, if they were the first indigenous PM.
The best speeches are now being selected in a national 'vote'.
Brianna Roberts reports.
"Have you ever had a dream? The kind of dream you'd do anything for it to become a reality? My dream is to become the first indigneous Prime Minister". / "I, Dylan Walsh take great honour in becoming Australia's first indigenous Prime Minister. I never thought I would be standing here today. And if you had any idea where I came from you would be amazed too."
These are the voices of Australian Indigenous students making a pitch for votes in an election of their own.
The program called the 'Other Election' is an initiative of the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience or AIME.
CEO Jack Manning Bancroft says it's about inspiring students, and challenging community perceptions.
"I think this is a really good opportunity for Australians to send a statement that we believe with indigenous Australia that there is positivity and hope and excitement about the potential, as opposed to, I suppose the word association game of immediately thinking 'disadvantage' and 'problem' and 'too hard'. And I think purely and simply as a country if we can be excited about the potential that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have to add to the country. I think for these people, they'll l step up to the challenge they'll step up to those high expectations."
Students are taking up the challenge.
"When I was in primary school I was told I would never amount to anything. The school refused to believe I was Aboriginal because I was white, and I was just using it as an excuse to claim benifits,," / "I'm deaf and I'm proud. I'm aboriginal and I'm proud. I'm proud of my family for accepting me for who I am". /The great Malcolm X once said, 'So early in my life I have learned that if you want something done, you'd better make some noise'. That's what I'm here to do today."
Jack Manning Bancroft knows first-hand the importance of dreaming big.
He started AIME in 2005, working with a small group of 25 high school kids in the inner Sydney suburb of Redfern.
Since then it's grown much bigger.
"So we work with two thousand Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kids around Australia, supporting them through mentoring and education, to finish school at the same rate as every Australian kid, and move into university or full time employment. So our kids over the last four years have finished school at almost the same rate as every Australian kid. After the campaign wraps up we'll go back and keep workin gon what we're trying to do which is help build up a generation of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kids who are confident and comfortable in their identity but also can play ball in both worlds, and be educated and be able to take on the planet. "
The Other Election project has turned up some innovative entries.
One student would incorporate rap into his first speech as PM.
"Revolution, this is the solution. To stop racism in my nation. Doesn't matter you're Asian, white or black I got your back. Through the thick and thin, we'll make this country great again."
Voting in the Other Election is now underway with the top ten students set to travel to Sydney to meet with career mentors.
The winner will travel to Canberra in October to deliver a speech to the Prime Minister.
"My fellow Australians. I believe I can become the first indigenous Prime Minister of Australia. What do you think?"
Members of the public are urged to vote on the entries, on the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience website: http://www.aimementoring.com
