Rebecca White (Lyons, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Women) Share this | Hansard source

I would be kidding myself if I tried to pretend that standing here to give my first speech as the federal member for Lyons wasn't a little overwhelming, in part because I'm standing in the same spot so many of my political heroes have stood and in part because of the weight of responsibility that comes with the knowledge that I'm here to be the voice for my electorate. But it's also because I know all too well how significant this opportunity is—to be a member of a Labor government with the capacity to make profound impact on the lives of people right across our country. I'm going to strive every day to make sure that I don't waste a moment, because I know that all the moments add up, and I can assure those of you who have never been there—that's most of my new colleagues here—that the opposition benches are not the place you want to be if you're serious about making a difference. Timing in politics is everything, and I plan to make the most of my time here.

As I stand here and reflect upon my role in this House, I want to acknowledge the traditional and original owners of the land upon which we do our work, the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people, and pay my respect to elders past and present. I extend my acknowledgement to my home state of Lutruwita/Tasmania and to the Palawa people, who, despite the worst oppression and dispossession, endure and continue to share with us their story, language and cultural practice. It's a lesson in generosity that we benefit from as a nation. Tolerance, inclusion, respect and indeed kindness are attributes that make as all better people and a stronger community, and fundamental to the reason why I am here is community.

When I was 18, I worked in hospitality, waiting tables and working in a bar while I was making my way through uni. I was working a shift one afternoon in a Hobart restaurant when I took the lunch order to a table and put the plate down in front of a man seated with a group of his friends. There were the usual friendly smiles, and then the man asked me where I'd gone to school. I told him I'd attended Sorell school, the local public school in my regional town. He looked at me and said, 'Haven't you done well for yourself?' In that moment, my polite country upbringing went into autopilot and I probably said something like, 'Thank you,' and smiled, but inside I felt the sting of his words not just because I felt judged by somebody who knew nothing about me but because I felt he had insulted my town and my school with his offhand remark. It triggered in me a need to protect the place and people I cared the most about and to stand up for them. It's a feeling that's never left.

I've always been incredibly proud of my community and the people who've supported me my entire life. I'm a country girl through and through, a fiercely proud Tasmanian and someone who was taught early on to never give up. I'm the daughter of a plumber and a teacher. My Mum, Anne Pitney, moved in with my dad, Lindsay White—he's here in the gallery today—on what would become our family farm, known as Redbanks. They lived in a run-down Federation-style weatherboard house that had been used by the previous farmer to store hay in. For the first decade of my life, I woke up in the winter seeing my breath, because it was inevitable that the open fire would have gone out overnight, and sometimes the frost on the ground outside was enough to put the water pump into hibernation. And as cold as that was, I still think Canberra is colder.

Mum and Dad then did a bit of a reno and we got a wood heater, which was a life changer. My brother, Jeremy—who's also here today—and I had a lot of fun on the farm. We climbed trees, rode our bikes, played cricket, kicked the footy and shot at tin cans with our air rifles. I rode horses and learnt how to drive in a tractor. We would help with the jobs of feeding hay out to the beef cattle, looking after the pigs or milking the dairy cows. We were taught the value of hard work and we were brought up with the motto that there is no such thing as can't.

My brother and I were taught a lot of life lessons on the farm. First among them was to feed the animals before you feed yourself. Farmers are stewards of the land and I've never met a farmer who didn't care deeply about the animals they look after or the land they work. The principle of feeding the animals before you feed yourself is a lesson in looking after those who need your help before you help yourself, and it's an ethos I carry with me to this day.

I was lucky that my family was so much bigger than the four of us. We were surrounded by people who loved us, from aunts and uncles and cousins to grandparents who were constantly in our lives. My grandma Ethel continues to play a role as great-grandma in the lives of my children, Mia and Hudson, and I'm so grateful to my big and wonderful family, who continue to be such an incredible support to me every day, especially Dad, Mum and Andrew. My most important job is mum to Mia and Hudson, and I love watching them both grow up—far too quickly, but it's incredible to see them learn about the world around them with such open minds and kindness. My favourite time of the day is reading a book to them in bed as they snuggle in for a cuddle. They remind me of what really matters and they motivate me to make the most of each day.

I realise how fortunate I am to be able to tell a story like this, a story of love and support and encouragement, and I try not to take it for granted. Life is big, and my philosophy is that we should fill it with as much as possible and always say yes to opportunities. I know that I've been able to feel capable of taking on new challenges because of the support that I've had not only from my family but also from my home town and local community. I grew up at Nugent, known for farming and forestry and our vibrant community hall. It's like so many of the regional towns right across the electorate of Lyons. It's full of doers who work hard, volunteer for the local fire brigade or community event or raise funds for charity.

The people who have shaped me and taught me the values of fairness and to look out for one another are the same people who taught me the value of friendship and loyalty. Whether it's working bees or hay carting, everyone helps out in the country, and I feel so lucky that I got to grow up in a place where everyone is like my extended family. Nugent will always be my home, and there's nothing that beats the smell of the bush or that feeling of walking into the community hall and seeing everyone again.

It's also a reminder for me of what really matters. People need people. Each of us has an innate need to be connected to something or someone who helps give us meaning and purpose to know that we matter, and it's important for me to hold that thought front of mind when we make decisions so that we build stronger and more resilient communities and empower people to live good and happy lives. Standing here in this place, I am humbly reminded of my responsibility to uphold the best of what my community has taught me—to act with integrity, to promote fairness, to work with others and to treat everyone equally.

My electorate of Lyons is my home. It's the place where I was raised, where I went to school and where I now live and raise my two gorgeous children. To be elected to represent my friends, my family, my neighbours, my community in the Australian parliament is the greatest honour and one that is deeply personal. The vast electorate of Lyons was jointly named after Joe Lyons, Tasmania's only prime minister, and Dame Enid Lyons, the first woman member of the House of Representatives.

I stand here in service of my community as the first ever woman elected to represent this seat in the federal parliament. I stand here with determination to work hard, to be a voice for my electorate, to fight for us and to represent our interests to the best of my ability—to elevate our story to the national stage. It is a story of a regional landscape that is wild and beautiful, of coastlines that are drawcards for tourists and playgrounds for children, of farmers who toil to produce the best potatoes and beef, of winemakers and distillers who win global awards, of renewable energy that is steeped in our state's history of hydro-industrialisation, and of people who are creative, resourceful and resilient.

But we have our challenges, too. There are struggles with access to health care, difficulty finding safe and permanent housing, concerns about whether our young people will realise their ambitions, and the ongoing problem that distance from services and employment creates for people living in regional areas. I'm here not only as a voice for my electorate but also to work as a problem-solver, to help find solutions to the things that hold us back. I put my hand up for politics because I fundamentally believe that politics is the best way to effect change at a population level and improve people's lives. And I'm so excited to be part of a government that has purposeful ambition to uplift the lives of Australians.

Thank you to everyone who has welcomed me to this place following the election, and particularly a big thanks to you who have helped to establish my office and help me find my feet. I've been humbled by the support I've received, and most notably from my electorate, who put their trust in me to represent them here. I value and respect the relationship I have with the people of Lyons, who I had the honour to represent in the Tasmanian parliament for nearly 15 years. My election to this place marks the sixth time they've placed their faith in me, and I'll do my very best to honour that responsibility.

But nothing I have ever achieved has been achieved alone. There are people in this chamber, in the gallery and back home in Tassie who've all helped me get to where I am today, including my fabulous girlfriends, who've been the strongest support to me over decades and continue to be a constant source of inspiration and advice. My friends, along with my community and family, are the reason I stand here today. But my family grew when I joined the Labor Party, and I've been incredibly lucky that I've made friendships that will last a lifetime, from bonds forged through campaigns and caucuses to those shared with people from across our movement as we've worked alongside one another to push forward a progressive agenda.

I will never stop finding it remarkable how people give their time, often in a volunteer capacity, to help support our movement and campaigns. I cannot thank enough the huge number of people who've been with me over the years and have given their time to support the 2025 campaign. I said on the day I stood alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as he announced that I was the endorsed candidate for the seat that the contest would be won by the margin of our effort—and the effort was enormous.

Thank you to all the volunteers from the mighty Australian Labor Party, from the rank-and-file members who gave their time, to our union affiliates who put in an extraordinary effort, to my campaign manager, Celeste Miller, who's here in the gallery—and I'm going to point you out, even though I know you hate it!—and who skilfully juggled it all and did so with such poise and calm determination. There is not a person I have met who can say no to you, and it's not because you intimidate them into compliance—although you do sometimes give me a look that makes me think twice about whether my idea was such a great one! But it's because you have that rare ability to empower people to believe in themselves.

My campaign team was a powerhouse of the very best people who share a common passion to make a difference and have fun while doing it. I had the super-human efforts of Margaret and Greg Luckman, who led teams of volunteers as we doorknocked across the 35,000 square kilometres of Lyons, and the boundless enthusiasm of Martyn Summers, who was the first to put his hand up to help with any task. Thank you to Bronwyn for lending him to us. You are two of Tassie's finest Labor members.

There was the clever and creative genius of Heidi Heck. She put her hands up for more things than she probably expected to at this election, and she did it all with grace and professionalism. There was the ballast that is Stuart Benson, one of my oldest friends in the Labor Party, who weighed in when needed and kept things on track in a way that only someone with his experience and knowledge can do. There was the guidance of Michael Aird, who's been a reliable source of support and advice to me over the years and who was once again there for me during this campaign. Celeste Di Bar, with all her positive energy and practical effort, helped our fabulous volunteers engage with the campaign. To the fabulous and enthusiastic Joe Birch, who I know will be watching this speech and who demonstrates the most incredible dedication: thank you for your hard work as chief whip, always keeping us on track. Jane Atkinson, very ably and with all her trademark diligence, rallied volunteers and prepared booth kits for the 72 polling places across Lyons.

The same goes for wonderful people like Kate; the mighty efforts of Robyn, who was there for me everyday; the dedication of self-proclaimed president of our gang, Allan; and the absolute stars Paul and Jonathan, along with the pinnacle of organisation, Anne. There were the enormous efforts of Dave, Morris, Bish, Luke, Zac, Bron; the hard work of Ella, Lachlan, Lauren, Nick, Gayle, Lucy, Elias, Tahnee and Brad; and the energy of Richard, Rod, Scott, Ben, Casey, Craig and Lee and so many others who helped deliver mail, put up a poster, knock on a door, make a phone call, stand on pre-poll, hand out on polling day and even lend me a car. There were over 100 individuals who turned from supporters into active campaigners and joined us in having thousands of conversations across the electorate about Labor's agenda, not just for the election but for our country's future.

Thank you to the union movement, who were incredible in the way they provided support to our effort to hold the seat of Lyons. I would like to recognise the SDA, RTBU, CPSU, PPTEU, TFTU, UWU, ASU and MUA. It was an energetic and fun campaign, and this result has only been made possible by the effort put in by all of you. We are stronger together, and this time we were unbeatable.

There are just a few more important people I want to specifically acknowledge. To Gordon Luckman, Jarryd Moore and Stephen Briggs: thank you. I've been involved in many campaigns over the years and I know how much effort and time it takes to coordinate and rollout a statewide election strategy. We knew we could rely on you to meet every challenge. The entire team at NatSec were phenomenal, and my thanks go to Paul Erickson and Jen Light for the support and friendship they've shown me over many years.

Of course, to the Prime Minister: I'm honoured to stand here as a member of your team, to stand here in support of the Labor government's agenda and to do all I can to progress our ambition for this beautiful country and to uphold our shared values of fairness, equality and social justice. Thank you for encouraging me to be a part of it and for the trust you place in me as we deliver on our promises in this government.

The final thankyou goes to someone who has been my friend for nearly two decades: Brian Mitchell. Brian was elected as the federal member for Lyons in 2016 and served the electorate with distinction and pride. He loved the job of representing the people of Lyons here in Canberra, and I want to acknowledge the significant generosity of spirit he demonstrated to me as the federal candidate for Lyons at this election. As it turns out, we've done a bit of a swap, with Brian not yet officially but looking very likely to be newly elected to the Tasmanian parliament following the weekend's election, which is great news, an outcome for our community that I believe will help us deliver great results for our electorate.

For me, today marks the beginning of a great opportunity to put into effect the knowledge and experience I've gained over the course of my life to deliver improvements for the community who made me who I am. My job is to repay their investment in me by giving voice to the needs of regional Tasmania and to challenge the assumption that the best we can aspire to is limited in some way by the school we went to or the postcode where we grew up. I love my community and I'm a fiercely proud Tasmanian. I dedicate myself to telling our story and to making you proud as we build our future together.

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