Jo Briskey (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Congratulations to you, Mr Speaker, on your re-election to the high office. Your commitment to this place and passion for civic education to help safeguard our democracy is a powerful example to us all.

To be in this place, to rise as the new member for Maribyrnong, is both exhilarating and humbling. I begin by acknowledging the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples of these lands and, from my home, the Wurundjeri and Woiwurrung peoples of the Kulin nation. I recognise their elders, and I pay tribute to their care and continuous custodianship of this country. I'm deeply proud to live in a nation home to the oldest continuing culture on the planet. The simple act of welcome to country is powerful—an act of generosity that invites us to listen, learn and reflect on the stories and wisdom of those who have walked these lands for tens of thousands of years. At its core, this act is about curiosity, and it's curiosity that leads us to ask the questions that matter: Why? Why not? Einstein once said, 'Curiosity has its own reason for existing.' As a newly elected member of this place, I intend to bring that spirit of curiosity to everything I do—ask questions, listen, seek answers and do what I can to help build a more inclusive, more productive and ultimately kinder Australia.

In the 119 years since the division of Maribyrnong was first created, I am only the ninth person to represent it—but the very first woman to do so. I am humbled by this unique and special privilege afforded to me by the voters of Maribyrnong and the Australian Labor Party. During the announcement of my candidacy at Goodstart Early Learning in Moonee Ponds, I had the distinct honour of being flanked by both the current leader and the former leader of our party—two giants of modern Labor. They gently reminded me of this fact as we prepared for the upcoming media conference, really setting me straight and putting me in my place, making sure I truly enjoyed the magnitude of the moment and didn't lose sight of my role and my responsibility in it—very kind.

It is a delight to have a leader of our country who has promoted kindness as a virtue and who has singled it out as something that is a source of strength and a wellspring for change. I want to congratulate the Prime Minister on his resounding victory and unwavering commitment to Labor being a party that delivers real, meaningful and lasting change for all Australians. Over the years, the Prime Minister and I have both shared a deep belief in the transformative power of education. His leadership and determination to reform early learning is, in my view, both inspiring and historic. It will stand as one of the most enduring legacies. Prime Minister, I am so proud to stand at your side to help get this done. As the Prime Minister rightly said in his Light on the Hill address:

Labor seeks office so we can use the power of the state to intervene to make a real difference to people's quality of life and their access to opportunity.

If we see a barrier to fairness, we are prepared to use the power of the State to make a difference.

That light will never go dim as long as we continue using the levers of government with purpose—making bold choices, staying curious and relentlessly striving to build a better future for us all.

We see the light more clearly because, in the Labor movement, we stand on the shoulders of giants. I want to recognise that I am following in the footsteps of one of those giants, the Hon. Bill Shorten. I don't underestimate the expectations that come with succeeding him, but I embrace them. To take on the legacy of one of the greats of the union movement, of the Labor Party and of our nation is a privilege. Bill, to be measured against your dedication to the people of Maribyrnong is an honour that I accept with energy and resolve.

Maribyrnong's story is Australia's story. It has been home to the Wurundjeri Woiwurrung people for tens of thousands of years, who have gone on to welcome the many who have migrated here from all across the globe, including a strong Greek and Italian diaspora who have made an invaluable contribution to our community and the Australian way of life. The electorate is home to the race that stops the nation and to the Kerrigans—their Fords, their Holdens, their greyhounds and their castle. It is a place where, in the immortal words of Lawrence Hamel QC, 'a home is not built of bricks and mortar but of love and of memories'.

During the campaign, I was welcomed into many homes across Maribyrnong. I doorknocked in every suburb and spoke with thousands of locals, like Len and Melva, who have lived on their street in Avondale Heights for 60 years, and Francesco, who has called Essendon home for almost as long, and Nina, whom I met in Oak Park, proudly casting her first ever vote at 18. Community, kindness and curiosity are at the heart of Maribyrnong, and they shine through in the people who make it the place it is. From the Maltese Seniors Club at Airport West and the Italian Community Keilor Association to the Friends of Maribyrnong Valley, who work tirelessly to protect and restore the Maribyrnong River and its valley parklands, and from Kensington Neighbourhood House, which offers a lifeline to those who do it tough, to the incredible volunteers of Helping Hands, these groups are but a few of the many. Kindness and care are everywhere.

Then there are the sporting clubs—footy, tennis, soccer, cricket, netball. You name it, on any given Saturday, you'll find a great game and even better community spirit at local fields right across the electorate, including, of course, at the iconic Windy Hill.

There are some things we're born into and there are others we choose. My family and I, like many thousands of families before us, chose to make Melbourne our home. Whilst Queensland will forever be my state of origin, my husband, Ravi, and I have made Melbourne our home and our future, where we are raising two wonderful daughters, Gwenevieve and Margot.

Now, looking back, there was almost a sense of inevitability about our making Melbourne—in particular, near the north-west—our home. It was Melbourne, and specifically Keilor East, in the summer of 1985 that was Ravi's first experience of Australian life. Visiting from Fiji just prior to the Chandra of family move to Australia, Ravi has fond memories of his summer trip to Melbourne—riding the tram, going to the Myer's Christmas windows on Bourke Street and enjoying the unique combination of opportunity, security and warmth that only Australia can provide. Like so many migrants before and after them, the Chandra's were curious about what life could be for them and their young children in the big, great unknown of Australia, and they grasped that opportunity with both hands, and I'm so grateful that they did.

My story begins with my family. I was the oldest of four. My siblings and I had the very good fortune of being raised in a village of family members—grandparents, uncles, aunties, cousins. We had a typical and idyllic childhood of big family Christmases, camping holidays and Mario Kart sessions.

I'm the daughter of teachers and the granddaughter of working people. My mum's parents were Les and Gwen Winkle. Les was a high school principal who worked across regional Queensland and then went on to play a leading role in advancing senior education in the state as the director of secondary education and the inaugural secretary of the Board of Secondary School Studies. Gwen worked even harder raising their four amazing children: Ann, who's in the gallery today; David; Evan; and their youngest, my mum, Cathy.

My dad's parents, Bob and Bev Briskey, were originally from Roma in regional Queensland before they moved the family to Brisbane to raise their three children: Karen; Anne-Marie; and their middle son, my dad, Darryl. Bob was a linesman, union member, then union official, then state secretary, then national president of the Postal and Telecommunications Union. Thanks to my pa, joining my union was an instinctive act on the first day I started my post-school job at the local Alex Hills hotel bottle shop. The Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union, the Missos—now the mighty United Workers Union—remains my union to this day.

My grandad Bob Briskey was also an active member of the Queensland branch of the Australian Labor Party and, no doubt, a driving force over my father's involvement in the party and subsequent candidacy in the historic Queensland Labor victory of 1989. My dad, Darryl Briskey, a former teacher, was first elected to the Queensland parliament as the Labor member for Redlands when Wayne Goss and Queensland Labor swept to victory, ending 32 years of conservative rule under the infamous Joh Bjelke-Petersen. I was four years old, but I remember the euphoria of the night. I couldn't tell exactly what was happening, but I could sense it was big.

My dad represented the communities of Redlands and Cleveland for 17 years, retiring in 2006 when I was 21. I grew up with my father as an MP. His example showed me the real, lasting difference strong, community focused representation can make. It's no surprise that his influence helped shaped my path into the ALP and a lifelong commitment to Labor and the union movement.

My mum, Cathy, as a teacher, active union delegate, passionate artist and actor, has a deep love for the arts and culture that has also shaped my politics. Artists channel curiosity into creation, and I'm incredibly fortunate to have a mum who has taught me the value of the arts, not just as expression but as a powerful force for change.

Beyond watching my dad in public life, I remember my own curiosity about politics. What it was and what it meant to me was sparked when I was about eight years old, in Mr Weir's grade 3 class at Thornlands State School learning about Australia's prime ministers. I remember being pretty indignant that none had been women.

I am thrilled now though that Margot, my eight-year-old, can point to a great Labor prime minister, Julia Gillard. There's not only that. Margot and my eldest, Gweny, are here witnessing a sea of women, from all walks of life. This is a very different parliament to the one I would have witnessed when I was eight, and we're all the better for it.

With curiosity as my compass, a commitment to helping others has always driven me. In high school I watched many of my peers struggle with the stress, anxiety and pressures of adolescence. Whilst my school was a great school, like many schools at the time, mental wellbeing of students was not the key feature it is today. This gap is what inspired me to pursue child and youth psychology and become an educational and developmental psychologist. My brief experience with the Logan child and youth mental health service gave me firsthand insight into how government and community services can work together to provide wraparound care vulnerable children need and deserve. Today I'm proud to be a part of a Labor government that understands the important power of shaping formative experiences for the better. Our world-leading social media reforms—designed to protect the mental wellbeing, safety and future of young Australians—are a powerful reflection of that commitment.

My time as a CEO of the Parenthood gave me the opportunity to rally and empower Australian parents to advocate for better—better Paid Parental Leave, better support for single parents, more affordable and accessible high-quality early learning and care, and better and more responsive workplaces. A moment that sticks in my mind was the powerful testimony of an Australian Navy lieutenant commander, Sandra Croft, who had joined the Parenthood and, through us, had the opportunity to give evidence to the Senate committee reviewing the then coalition's plans to end so-called double dipping on paid parental leave. Sandra spoke with raw honesty about what it felt like to be told by her government that she was a double dipper and somehow rorting the system. It was a turning point for me. It made clear just how much decisions made in this place directly and personally affect people's lives.

It was then I knew that I wanted to take my advocacy from outside these walls to inside. In my most recent time in the union movement, I advocated for workers who care for our communities—aged-care workers, early childhood educators, those who show up every day with compassion, patience and purpose. It was an honour to help elevate their voices and play a part in the historic early learning and aged-care reforms delivered by the Albanese Labor government. Now, as a Labor member of this place, I'm honoured to champion the voices of parents and carers, educators, aged-care workers, cleaners and factory workers. Representing working people and their unions is a responsibility I carry with pride and conviction.

I intend to use my time in here being curious, knowing what I can change and fighting hard to change it. Too many Australians depend on Labor to deliver real outcomes. That's what sets us apart from those who make the promises they never intend or are never able to keep. The Hon. Barry Jones, a former Labor member of this place representing Lalor, has previously ascribed a set of principles of strong leadership. These resonated with me: having curiosity and vision, pursuing the unknown and seeking to understand so as to tackle the wicked problems we face; seeking knowledge from experts; basing decisions on principles and beliefs; tackling complexity and rejecting oversimplification; maintaining flexibility—when facts change, we can change our positions and opinions—having ambition for the long view, which means planting seeds in a garden we may never get to enjoy; being ready to act with urgency; acting with courage and advocacy, being prepared to take the hard decisions and bring people with you; being honest and accountable, clear on what you stand for, to inspire confidence and sacrifice; and, finally, being concerned for the welfare of others, including those we may never meet, and rejecting the promotion of division as a political strategy.

I have seen the ease at which we can tear each other down, blame and fight, especially when we're anxious or under threat. It's easy politics to stoke this fear, to further division and to create an 'us' and 'them'. It's harder to meet anxiety, stress and hardship and sit with it, to move others and to earn their trust with credibility and humility. The easy politics of protest and division, outrage over outcome, ultimately solves nothing. Instead we should meet our communities where they're at, listen, seek understanding and strive to achieve better together. I'm reminded of a great scene from Ted Lasso. Ted uses the phrase, often attributed to Walt Whitman, 'Be curious, not judgemental.' He points out how he is often underestimated because people judge without taking the time to learn more about who he is. Ted reminds us that judgement closes us off, but curiosity opens us up.

In a strong community, curiosity builds bridges; judgment builds walls. Prejudice thrives when judgment precedes curiosity, when we think we know the answer before we've even taken the time to ask the right questions. We condemn ourselves to the same mistakes if we don't use our curiosity to unearth new information, identify new ideas and ultimately create new solutions. So let us be curious, not judgmental. Act with empathy as we bring people with us to collectively take on the challenges we face.

I am fortunate to have had so many in my life whom without I would not be here today. Firstly, to the Labor Party branch members of Maribyrnong, so many stalwarts of the party committed to its purpose and collective vision to make life better for working people: thank you. To the mighty trade union movement, to the union members of the ETU, the AMWU, ASU, CPSU, FSU, HACSU, TWU, AWU and the SDA, and, in particular, to my union, United Workers Union: thank you. This is a huge shout out to the cleaners, security guards, food and beverage manufacturers, logistics workers, and, of course, aged-care workers and educators. I am so incredibly proud to be a member of UWU. I want to especially acknowledge Gary Bullock. Thank you, Gary, for believing in me and seeing in me a true advocate. Your commitment to Labor being the party of working people ensures we all stay focused on this important work. You have supported me and my family through highs and lows for well over a decade now. Thank you.

To my other fellow UWUers—Dom Rose, Aaron Jones, Mel Little, Cara Anderson, Paddy Keys McPherson, Felix Sharkey, Jacqui Woods, Greg Moran and Jake Araullo—and my past work colleagues who have now become my colleagues again: the member for Chisholm, Carina Garland, and Senator Karen Grogan. To others across the Victorian Labor Party who welcomed me with open arms—Kat Hardy, Julijana Todorovic, Michael Watson, Tony Piccolo, Steve Staikos, Alan Griffin, Steve Dimopolous, Tim Richardson, Dylan Wight and Ingrit Stitt—it's an absolute pleasure to work with all of you.

To my amazing campaign team, led by the formidable and unflappable Connor Grant: thank you for everything you all did during the campaign and now the amazing work we'll get to do for the Maribyrnong electorate.

Politics, like many male-dominated professions, has not always been welcoming of women. It still takes extra effort to break down both the real and the perceived barriers for participation. That's why I want to acknowledge the role of EMILY's List and thank them for their support. I also take this moment to recognise incredible women that have encouraged me and inspired me to step forward and do this important work. To Laura Fraser Hardy; Emily Taylor; Nita Green; Alana Tibbits; Jackie Trad; Cynthia Kennedy; the new member for Moreton, Julie-Ann Campbell; Nicola Hazel and Fiona Sugden: you are all contributing to making it just that bit easier for the young women who will succeed us, for our daughters and sons to enjoy a fairer and more inclusive future.

To my old school friends and my new parent friends: thank you for keeping me grounded by always being there to talk about everything besides politics.

To the Farm Stay crew and our Wolf Pack: the wolf cubs were dutifully referenced during the first speech of the Hon. Minister Wells and, as such, I feel it incumbent upon me to update the Hansard on some new additions to the pack. To Oshy and Dash, Trystan, Oscar, Milo and Margaret: these newest cubs provide a wonderful comic relief and support to the OG cubs Gweny, Margot, Celeste, Macsen, Arianwen, Harriet and Maxwell.

Last but by no means least, to my family. Firstly, to my in-laws Vinesh and Ramila, Ronesh and Emily and our newest family members, Luca and Beau: Ravi and I simply could not do this without your love and support. Thank you To my siblings Kathleen, Ally and Will: I know I can always count on you to keep me grounded and focused on what truly matters—and I'll always be able to beat you at Mario Kart! To Mum and Dad, Darryl and Cathy: thank you for everything, for always believing in me and supporting me. Thank you.

And to my husband, Ravi: from the moment we met working in an electorate office, I think you may have known deep down this might have been on the cards for us. During the election, we celebrated 20 years of campaigning together—very nice! I'm sure, as many members of this House can relate, we spent more time together in the car on election day than we had done in the duration of the campaign. Ravi, you are my everything. To have you by my side is such an incredible source of strength. It's our teamwork that really makes this whole dream work. This job will undoubtedly have a toll on us and our family, and I know I will always be able to count on you to steer our family through the tough and crazy times. Love you, Ravi Bear.

Let me end off acknowledging the two most important people in my life: Gweny and Margot. I'm here because of you and for you. This job has and will continue to pull me away from you, sometimes at really important times. With every moment I spend with you, I'm inspired by your curiosity and moved by your kindness. I want you to know that I will use these values during every hour I spend away from you in this place to pursue the change that will lead us to a kinder, better Australia for you and for generations to come. I hope to make you proud.

Thank you.

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