Every kid deserves the opportunity to fall in love with sport. That’s why I’m speaking up to protect it

It was the lead-up to the 2007 federal election, and John Howard’s campaign trail led him through the small town where I grew up.

I was in year 6, and as a member of our student council, was lucky enough to meet the prime minister and even ask him a question.

Fremantle Dockers Captain Alex Pearce (immediate right of John Howard) with the former PM and friends in Ulverstone, Tasmania, circa 2007.

But it wasn’t that primary school experience which sparked my interest in politics. There was no one single moment that made it clear I should advocate for what I feel is right.

For me, it’s always been there. Some of it comes from growing up in Tassie, then moving to Perth to play football.

Both are amazingly beautiful places known for their coasts and forests, and as I’ve got older and been able to travel the world, I’ve realised how special they are.

Because I was surrounded by it, as a kid I took our wilderness for granted. Now, every time I go back to Tasmania I can’t wait to spend time in it. Last time I was there I did a solo hike in Cradle Mountain National Park – a place that, as I write, is being consumed by bushfire.

I have Indigenous heritage that traces back to Tasmania’s leaders around the time of colonisation. This link to the land gives me an affinity for wild places, to the thousand-year-old Huon Pine trees of the north-west Tassie coast that have stood the test of time.

There are so many places in this country to be proud of. It makes sense we’re motivated to protect them, to do everything we can to give future generations the same chance to fall in love with them that we’ve had.

Using my voice is something I’ve grappled with. But the more I’ve thought on it, politics, by its nature, is for everyone.

Democracy means we all get a say. Our leaders’ decisions affect us all, and we should all be entitled to an opinion.

Recently, a friend’s mum sent me an article from her scrapbook about that day back in primary school. As I looked at the photo of the prime minister surrounded by us kids, I remembered the question I’d asked.

Fremantle Dockers captain Alex Pearce.Credit: Getty Images

“Mr Howard, what are you going to do about the environment and combatting global warming?”

In my industry – AFL – players care about the environment. But the step from caring about it to knowing what to do can be challenging.

Footballers are completely focused on our performance, on making the most of the incredible opportunity we’ve been given by doing everything we can to help our teams succeed.

These pressures aren’t unique to my industry. We all carry different priorities, and we can all feel that even if we do make time for causes we believe in, our voice won’t make a difference.

Soon, a piece of legislation will be taken to the Australian parliament that asks our leaders to consider the health and wellbeing of future generations in their decision-making.

It’s called the Duty of Care Bill, and it asks the government to weigh the impact their decisions have on today’s kids, and kids into the future.

It’s a bill that will mean young people can be part of important conversations that affect them, and that’s why I’m joining hundreds of athletes from across codes and sports to support a duty of care.

When it comes down to it, I want tomorrow’s kids to have the same opportunity to fall in love with footy that I did. To not have games cancelled due to extreme weather, or be unable to train.

In high-performance sport we talk a lot about feedback and honest conversations.

I think it’s time to have an honest discussion based on the facts and the issues, and it’s time to find common ground to make sure all kids can experience the simple joy of running onto a field, and playing on.

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