Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to put on the record my appreciation for the phenomenal Labor candidates who stood in the state seats that make up my federal seat of Chisholm. Given that I live within a sea of blue in the maps, these are candidates who were running in seats that probably they did not have a great prospect of winning, but they still flew the flag and had some phenomenal swings in my neck of the woods.

I give a big shout out to Gavin Ryan, in the seat of Burwood, who gave up six months of his job, his life, to campaign tirelessly; and an enormous thanks to Stef Perri, in Box Hill, and her family. She has young kids. Her partner, Alex, was an amazing support. Jennifer Yang, in Mount Waverley, is an absolute dynamo and is someone to watch in future. Full credit to Jennifer, who ran a tireless campaign and did an amazing thing. In Forest Hill, Pauline Richards, who again is a true community candidate, knew that she was against the odds and did not turn it around but was out there fighting and has managed to save the Healesville reserve.

To Steve Dimopoulos, who has won in the seat of Oakleigh, congratulations—again, a great campaign. Goodbye to Ann Barker, who retired at the election. She is an amazing woman, the longest-serving female in the Victorian parliament, who has been replaced by a great candidate in Steve Dimopoulos. And congratulations also to Hong Lim, the long-serving member for Clayton, who retained his seat, the new seat of Clarinda. Congratulations all.