Emma Comer (Petrie, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I stand in this room with a great sense of awe. I stand in this room because of the aspirational and innovative work that has come from this house. I am inspired by the work of those who have come before me, including many sitting around me today. The work on Medicare, marriage equality, antidiscrimination, workers' rights, renewable energy and its storage, and the continued efforts to safeguard and improve upon these areas.

I stand on the land of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people and, standing here, I represent the electorate of Petrie, a region that has been called home by the Gubbi Gubbi and Turrbal people for millennia. I want to acknowledge these groups for their ancestral connection to the place where we meet today and to the land which I call home.

I also stand in this room because of the neglectful, shortsighted and undignified laws, ideas and examples that have come from this house, from the banning of RU-486 to the historical and ongoing injustices faced by Indigenous Australians. This house at times has caused harm to Australians and to my community. I'm so glad to be a part of this government, one that aims to right those wrongs and will stand up for all, not just the few.

The good, the bad, the ugly is why I'm here today.

My early childhood was tainted by violence and shrouded with fear. The man designated the protector of my family was the most dangerous part of my life. To live in that space day in and day out, never sure what would turn a bad day into an even worse day is a feeling that no-one should experience. Just before my ninth birthday, my family and I were able to find a way to squeeze ourselves out of the gap in the system in which we fell. And though we were safe away from that danger, the healing process itself was turbulent and non-linear.

One positive outcome from my childhood has been my fierce sense of justice, which I've had since as early as I can remember. While I will never say that I am grateful for the experiences I had as a child, I'm glad for the mindset I developed.

Now much to my mum's and probably my teachers' frustration at times, I always asked 'Why?' I question everything and everyone. I still remember the day when I was 11 and my mum said to me, 'Em, just because I'm your mum doesn't mean I know all the answers.' I was shocked to say the least!

During my teenage years I grappled with depression, but I found my peace and strength in serving others. I developed friendships across diverse groups of people, finding commonality where others would only see difference.

My mum is to blame for many of my values. She worked multiple jobs due to inconsistent hours while studying nursing full time, first at TAFE and then at uni. She did all of this while raising four kids on her own. When work is inconsistent and you have to work multiple jobs just to make ends meet, kids and families miss out on time spent together. I watched my mum wear many hats, and everything she did for us kids she did with love, but it meant she wasn't there for the important moments of my life, something she and I are both worse off for. That is why I'm so proud of our government's paid placements for nursing students at TAFE and university. This will change lives. I know it would have changed my life and that of my mum.

Through this I learned the value of secure employment, fair wages, the power of education and the importance of continuous learning, and that everyone should have the right to a fair go no matter their background. I learned that if I have the passion and give it my focus, nothing can stop me from achieving my goals.

I also want to take this moment to say I'm so proud of the work of the Redcliffe Area Youth Space. Amy Mayes and the team help young people who have been given a rough start in life. I can relate to those young people. My upbringing parallels some of their stories. To those young people: I see you and I want to assure you that things will get better.

I was a bit rambunctious in my early high school days, so much so that at one point in my late teens I decided I needed more discipline. This coincided with my belief that we should all serve a purpose bigger than ourselves. I channelled this into being elected school captain, to develop my leadership skills so that I could enlist at the age of 18 in the Australian Army and attend the Royal Military College, Duntroon. My time in the service taught me many things, such as endurance—that I can always put one foot in front of the other—and the power of trust in teamwork. Unfortunately, I had to leave the Army early, after a year, due to an injury that meant I could no longer complete my training. I was fortunate in my late teens to know what I wanted to do after finishing school. I had direction and I had purpose when most of my friends were struggling to find their purpose. After leaving the Army, I was at a loss. I'd put so much energy into getting there that I was unsure of what was next.

Being part of a team, working towards something positive and using my time to help others has always been important, so I found a new way to channel it and I started volunteering at the local sea-rescue radio tower. I still wasn't sure what career I wanted, so I did what most people in their early 20s do and I started working in hospitality. I was young, injured and broke, but I was gaining invaluable life experience. I learnt the feeling of living to work, with nothing left after the first round of bills, dreading unexpected car expenses and rent rises.

I'm not alone in feeling that there must be more to life than living to work. Life should be about working to live. Life should be about the ability to enjoy the world around us, building and developing connections and relationships and doing what you can to ensure others, all others, have access to the same privileges that the lottery of birth provides—that we lower the heights of the hurdles we got over to make them more accessible to those who come after us. New challenges will always arise, and it is our duty to ensure that we lower the heights of these hurdles for the next generation.

Now, we often define ourselves by considering who we are not, but this way of thinking leads to division, to disunity and to apathy towards others. The 'othering' of cultures may be disguised as patriotism, but really it is nationalism. I am a patriot. I love my country that has provided me so much in my life: my world-class education; free and affordable health care; beautiful and inspiring natural spaces where I'm free to explore, reflect and enjoy; and the opportunity to represent my community here in this room. I prefer to define myself by my attitudes, by my beliefs and by the way in which I engage with the world around me. I am a sister, an aunty, a partner, a friend, a neighbour, an adventurer, an environmentalist, a lover, a fighter, a fierce supporter of social equity, a confidante, a shoulder to lean on, an ear to listen, a voice for the marginalised, a platform for those less privileged and a member of my community.

I have been fortunate to be able to travel to various parts of the world, experiencing vastly different cultures, from South Asia to eastern and western Europe, and in our own beautiful backyard here in Australia. One thing I've come to understand is that, no matter where you come from—whether rich or poor, literate or illiterate, regardless of gender, ethnicity and heritage—we all have similar hopes, dreams, fears and desires. We hope that our families live a safe and healthy life. We dream that our kids, our nieces and our nephews have more opportunities than us. We fear letting down the people around us, and we desire support and camaraderie from our communities. By focusing on our differences, we exclude all that could bring us together, whereas the list of the things we have in common will always be far greater. This common ground is where growth, partnership and progress happen.

I was in London at the time of the 2019 bushfires. People would hear my accent and often bring up the catastrophic impact of the fires, and I was floored by the inaction of the Australian government at that time. I decided that, as I was in that region, I would take myself to Iceland, the land of fire and ice, to see a glacier. With the previous government's business-as-usual approach to emissions reduction and climate action, I was sure those glaciers would melt in my lifetime.

I hired a four-wheel drive, and in the cold of winter I made my way to the glacier. I stood in awe at one of the most impressive and beautiful natural sites I've been fortunate enough to experience, and I became quite emotional. Standing there, considering the ramifications of our actions as humans on this planet and how those actions may mean the next generation may not get the chance to see what I was seeing, I filled my bottle with glacier water and I guzzled it down, and in that moment I decided to commit myself to being an active participant in positive change making. It was my glacial moment. Climate change is the driver for a lot of our issues, such as heatwaves killing more people than all other natural disasters combined and the damage of heat, flooding and coastal storm surges to our roads and railways. I recall seeing images of Melbourne train tracks warping in a heatwave and of bitumen roads melting, which is also impacting our remote regions. Heat also increases violent crime rates, making our communities less safe and police work harder, and places greater strain on our justice system. Drought, increased ferocity of storms, flooding and heat are damaging our crops, leading to increased prices and further exacerbating hardships on our farmers. The ferocity and frequency of storms in my electorate are damaging property and increasing the price of insurance. We must address this. However, we need a pragmatic approach. As they say, high tides raise all ships. The tides are rising, so let's ensure that everyone is lifted during this moment in our history.

Here I stand representing the residents of Petrie. My story is much like Petrie's. Petrie has its rough edges and polished gems. There are people living it tough and those who are comfortable. There is aspiration and there is desperation. There are some of the highest rates of domestic violence but there are also some of the highest rates of volunteerism. Just like my community, I carry those parts within me. My life experiences have been diverse, and the outcome of that is strength, resilience and compassion—just like when a community is socially, environmentally and economically diverse, it is stronger, more resilient and more compassionate. In recognising the diversity in our individuality we can come to understand how important it is that our communities reflect that.

Petrie is where seaside retirees meet first home buyers, where heritage buildings harmonise with 21st-century development. It is a region that has kept calling me back. I first moved there as a teenager, living on Dolhes Rocks Road, an incredible area surrounded by nature and friendly neighbours. I moved away when I joined the Army, but I kept finding myself coming back. I love where I live, kayaking around the peninsula or up the Pine River near Griffin and chucking a line in. It turns out I am not the best hunter of fish, but I am a well-versed gatherer of fish, namely at Morgans Seafood in Scarborough.

There is a unique sense of humour in the stoicism found in Petrie, which was evident during Cyclone Alfred preparations. During the cyclone preparations, residents such as Jess in Redcliffe were calling out for help on community social media groups on behalf of her elderly neighbour who was recovering from a recent surgery. I decided to head out to this woman's house to lend a hand, and what touched my heart was the near dozen of us who rocked up to secure this yard. I also spent a few hours down at the sandbagging station and I was not alone in this endeavour. Dozens of residents were down there making up bags and carrying them to awaiting cars. All of this was done with big smiles and plenty of laughs. The spirit of the Petrie community was alive and well. We came together to help one another in a stressful time.

Sport also plays a major role in our community. It is a place to come together, to share, to laugh, to celebrate and to commiserate. Petrie is home to some of the largest community football and netball clubs in Queensland and one of the oldest croquet clubs in the state. Importantly, Petrie is home to the best NRL team in the country. The Dolphins are a major part of my community, a community of Phinatics. 'Phins up' to those joining me in the gallery and those watching at home. Two of our players made up part of the Queensland Maroons, who recently decimated the Blues and wiped the smile off many members in this room. To those members I say, 'Hammer time,' and may our victory be the beginning of another eight-year sweep.

It is said that yesterday's solutions are today's problems, but I am an optimist. I'm here to be part of long-lasting, positive change. To the residents of Petrie that voted for me: I thank you for your trust. I want to acknowledge the honour you have bestowed upon me in representing you. For those that did not vote for me, I'm looking forward to hearing your concerns, learning what is important to you, working on solutions and continuing to earn your respect. I want to acknowledge my predecessor Mr Luke Howarth for his servitude to Petrie residents and to thank him for the 12 years he gave this House.

I want to acknowledge the Hon. Yvette D'Ath, the former member for Petrie and the former state member for Redcliffe, who joins me here today. Yvette's excitement for my campaign and words of encouragement kept morale high, and her continued sage advice, even after I'd asked my 500th question, kept me focused. Her tenacity, conviction and compassion are the qualities that a great local member should emulate.

To the branch members across Petrie: you were the engine room of this campaign. Our campaign was grassroots. We didn't have a lot of money, but we had a lot of heart. You were the boots on the ground and the best team I could have hoped for—a collective of true believers of our Labor values and of me. You all heard me say that battles are won on momentum and morale. Our momentum never wavered and our morale was high, because we had a mandate and a belief in a better future for our community. I'm happy that some of you could make it today, and I thank you for your continued support.

I want to thank my local Labor state members and councillors for their support. I also want to thank the ALP national president, the Hon. Wayne Swan, for his support and mentorship. I also want to thank Kate Flanders, Ben Driscoll, Luke Richmond and Meredith Newman from Queensland Labor. You helped me get here.

To my campaign team: you delivered above and beyond what I could have dreamed of. You all jumped on board, even when some people said it was an unwinnable seat. I'll single out two members of my team: Alex Wetzel and Eric Yun. You guys brought the gen Z touch to my social media in a way I could never understand.

I also want to thank Senator Corinne Mulholland. Corinne helped pave the way for me, and I congratulate her on being elected to the Senate. I want to thank Senator Anthony Chisholm for his consistent and enthusiastic support from the day we met. He has been my champion, pushing me to pursue my interests and to do more for my community. I want to thank Rob Skelton for giving me my first shot in politics. I also want to thank my incredible office team: Avalon, Emily, Alex, Aryan, Archer and Stella. I am the face of the operation, and you are all the operation.

I want to thank the union movement, the backbone of our country's progress, particularly the Australian Workers' Union. To Stacey Schinnerl and Joey Kaiser: I am constantly in awe of your fierce devotion to the rights of working Australians to live decent and secure lives. I thank you not only for what you've done for me but what you do to stand up for workers every day. I want to thank our prime minister for his support right from the start. He is unwavering in his values and is a leader I'm proud to follow. The Prime Minister set a very clear and progressive agenda throughout the campaign and throughout the previous term. He was one of the few that believed in a majority government, and that faith carried through. I want to single out two members of this chamber—the Prime Minister and Minister Plibersek—for their continuous support and allyship to people like me, advocating for my rights as an individual since before we'd even met.

I want to thank my professors, Traci Sudana, Stefanie Fishel and Shannon Brincat, for their support and guidance in shaping my vision.

I want to thank the member for Dobell for joining me on the campaign. As you would know, there's always another Emma in the room, and I'm glad to be that for you.

I thank my family who join me here today. My brother Aaron even prepared some lines for this speech. So that he can't say I never listen, I'll share one of his lines to be forever cemented in the Hansard: 'I might ruffle a few feathers in this room, but I hear feather boas are back in style.' I also want to thank my incredible partner, who joins me here. Whilst I am a volunteer, she is a conscript. I bet you didn't think we would be here when we met in a bar some years ago. This place can swell one's head, but her piercing wit will always keep me grounded. You are my golden hour. Your light brings out the best sides of me and softens the rest. Your unwavering support has made all of the difference. I could not have done this without you, my love.

Looking around me, I see a room that represents our nation. I never grew up thinking I would have a place here. When I was younger, I thought: 'Well, I'm not wealthy. My family don't own a home.' But, over the course of a couple of decades, a new style of political leadership was becoming more apparent to me—one of compassion, representative leadership and working together. I learnt that someone of my background, upbringing and net worth is exactly the kind of representative we need—a person with lived and shared experience; not just empathy but understanding.

When I was in the Army I read The Art of War, by Sun Tzu, and remember learning that to divide is to conquer. The book paints a very clear picture of why some seek division, vilifying anything different, new or old—anything other than themselves. Diversity, however, is strength. Without diversity in our gut bacteria we become unwell. Without the diversity in our environment we see increases in disease and loss of species richness. Without diversity in our workplace we see businesses struggle to remain viable and competitive. Without diversity in our trade we see economic decline. Without diversity in our parliament we see policies leaving people behind. Without diversity we are weak in ideas and less resilient to change. Change is inevitable, and we must be ready to adapt and move forward.

I'm so proud to be part of this government that is rich with diversity. Our government is representative of our modern Australia. The Art of War also taught me that those who occupy the high ground will fight to advantage. In politics, high ground isn't literal; it's moral—and it matters. For my party, the great Australian Labor Party, the moral high ground is not a tactic; it is who we are. From Medicare to minimum wages, from universal super to climate action, we've taken positions that were not always easy or popular. We've stood up for workers, for fairness, for reconciliation and for the future. The moral high ground gives us the clearest view of what we stand for and who we're fighting for. It gives us the conviction to persevere and the integrity to govern. It is not the easy path. It is the Labor path. It is the Australian path. And as long as we stay on it we will not only win the battle of ideas; we will earn the trust of the people we serve.

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