House debates

Thursday, 25 February 2021

Constituency Statements

Western Australia: Election

10:11 am

Photo of Matt KeoghMatt Keogh (Burt, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Defence Industry) Share this | Hansard source

Early voting is now open in Western Australia for the state election on 13 March. We're expecting that due to the ongoing COVID crisis more people than ever will be voting early at polling booths and through the post. While the Leader of the Opposition in WA claims that we shouldn't let the WA Labor have total control—a ridiculous comment when that's exactly what the Liberals have had whenever they have been in government—I want to make sure that my community has a few facts. Let me share with you some information about our local state colleagues in the electorate of Burt.

There's Dr Tony Buti, a local legend who is getting our community moving in the state seat of Armadale. His focus on improving social and educational outcomes for our community knows no bounds. There's Chris Tallentire, who is working hard to clean up the waterways in Thornlie. It's a real passion of his; he has been working on environmental protection for years. There's Terry Healy in Southern River. As a former teacher, he is focused on making sure that our local schools have the best facilities possible and students get access to a good education. There's Yaz Mubarakai in Jandakot, who is a small business owner who understands what is important to local business and our rapidly growing suburbs. And there's Hugh Jones, our candidate in Darling Range who has spent much of his life defending our country serving in the Navy, who's putting his hand up to represent our Darling Range community. They make up Mark McGowan's local WA Labor team.

It's now time for every Western Australian to ask themselves during a once-in-a-century pandemic and global economic uncertainty: who do you trust to guide our state through unprecedented times? A government that makes jobs and health its top priority, that is dedicated to fairness, opportunity and creating prosperity across this great state, and a government that will keep WA strong.

While the Morrison government has failed to bring our nation together, deciding on a strategy of division and outright partisan assault on Labor premiers, Mark McGowan and his team have done a fantastic job of uniting Western Australia. They have successfully managed a strong border that kept Western Australians safe, even when Scott Morrison and his Attorney-General from Western Australia, Christian Porter, decided to side with Clive Palmer to try and bring down the border, which would have left Western Australians less safe. They know it's the WA Labor Party that's been on the side of Western Australians, keeping the state safe and keeping the economy strong, and not just keeping the economy strong for Western Australia but for the entire nation.

This last year has brought some of the most difficult challenges we have ever faced and, as a state, we responded in the only way we know how—with stuck together, we supported each other and we rose to the challenges as only Western Australians can. That's what kept our state safe and strong, and only the team of Mark McGowan and WA Labor will keep that moving forward.

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